Midnight Blossoms
by Shinmechslade
Summary: Eight years after the end of 02, Takeru returns to the life he left behind after his brother's death. Chapter 1 rewritten
1. Chapter 1

Midnight Blossoms  
  
_________________________________________________________  
  
Personal Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.  
  
Note: This story begins roughly eight years after the end of season two. There are events that have happened in the interim that will be slowly revealed. I have also created a timeline and various other things such as a Glossary of characters at the end. It's all just standard Digimon stuff but I'll give a little background as to what has happened in the missing eight years.  
  
And now, without further adieu, the story: ________________________________________________________________________  
  
Before him appeared countless mirrors, each showing a separate reality. Images of himself were the showcase of each mirror. Professions he had no knowledge of invaded his mind with obtuse facts. Focusing, he drove himself towards the one reality he knew to be his. Despite the happiness and joy that radiated from the myriad other realities, he was not dissuaded from his duty. He had always held to that despite losing all else. As he reached towards the mirror, the scene about him dissolved and he found himself at a familiar spot.  
  
____________________________  
  
Breath misting in the cold December air, Takeru gazed around at his surroundings. As always, stepping into his native reality left him with a fading feeling of nausea. But it was nothing that he could not ignore. After all, some discomfort was to be expected especially when one had given up part of his being to the Digital World as he had. It wasn't a sacrifice that many made but his native world didn't hold much appeal for him anymore. He only ever returned here if he needed the other chosen, except for tonight. The bonds of friendship ran deep and he could no more ignore them than he could his duties.  
  
"Something feels wrong." A voice chirped from above him.  
  
Gazing up amusedly at the hamster/bat like creature above him, he replied. "I'll say, this is nowhere near Mimi's house." And then it struck him; all about him was quiet. He mentally kicked himself for not noticing that sooner. He hadn't been here for nearly two years but surely Tokyo could not have changed in that much time. Unless laws had become a whole lot stricter, this area should have been a bustling hub of activity. Right now, everything stood quiet. Skyscrapers rose all around him and were ominously dark. The only light came from the various streetlights that continued into the horizon.  
  
Shrugging uncomfortably, Takeru gazed back up at the small Digimon. "I don't like this either Patamon. I'll make my way to Mimi's house. Stay close but out of sight, I have a feeling."  
  
Patamon nodded and rose into the air flapping his wings. Gazing up, Takeru watched him disappear into the dark and then he started on his way.  
___________________________  
20 minutes earlier  
  
Taichi Yagami cursed softly under his breath as the traffic light ahead of him turned red. He was already late for their meeting and the damned traffic wasn't helping matters any. Sora would kill him and Mimi wasn't likely to interfere despite not having seen him for nearly three years.  
  
Tapping his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel, Tai glanced up at the horizon. What he saw there made his breath catch in his throat. A large shimmering veil of light was spreading across the city. It was quite beautiful but also strangely unsettling. Reaching over, Tai thumbed on the radio inside his car. A loud voice issued forth talking about the local news. Tai only had to wait moments before they got to the event he wanted to know about.  
  
'Meteorologists are still at a loss concerning the origin of the mysterious light's in the Tokyo sky. So far, we've heard all sorts of theories from Meteorites to Solar Flares but have not arrived at a conclusive theory. All we know is that early today, the phenomenon started over Shinjuku and has steadily been spreading all over Tokyo.'  
  
Grimacing, Tai thumbed off the radio. He couldn't quite quell what he was feeling whenever he looked at the light. The only other time he had felt something like this was back in the digital world. Not one to disregard his feelings, Tai sped the rest of the way to the hotel where Mimi was staying. As it happened, everybody else with the exception of Takeru had gotten there ahead of him.  
  
__________________________  
  
Sora Takenouchi sighed as Miyako and Mimi launched into another argument on the merits of Western Fashion as opposed to Eastern clothing. Across the king sized hotel suite, she met Hikari's gaze and grimaced slightly. Hiding a laugh behind her hand, the younger girl got up from where she had been sitting and chatting with her partner Digimon. Her progress seemed agonizingly slow to Sora as she came and rescued her.  
  
"So, how are your photography classes going?" Sora asked distractedly as she scoured the large room. All of the resident geniuses, Koushirou, Ken, Jyou and Iori, were sitting at one corner of the room playing chess. Their Digimon formed a small circle around them. The current match was between Jyou and Koushirou, which would probably last through the night. Both men liked to take their time thinking. Daisuke was sitting a little aside chatting with Veemon. Sora felt sorry for him. He was always the odd-man-out at these gatherings. The other boys didn't mean to leave him out but what they found fun didn't mesh with his idea of fun. About the only male companionship he had in this circle was Tai. 'Where the hell was he anyway?'  
  
"He probably got held up in traffic," Hikari murmured softly at her side.  
  
Blushing, Sora glanced back at the girl she had very nearly forgotten. Grimacing, she asked, "Am I that transparent?"  
  
The younger girl smiled. "Probably only to me. I have known you longer then even Takeru."  
  
And with that name, Sora found her thoughts inevitably drawn to the other Ishida brother, Yamato. He had been dead for six years now but she still thought about him, unable to forget. It wasn't fair but then again, life had lacked that quality for a while. She only had to think of Takeru to realize that.  
  
Of all the chosen, Takeru had lost the most over the years. First, had been his parents and then his brother. And yet, he had not given up. If anything, his resolve had grown stronger. However, the various tragedies had taken their toll. He was no longer the innocent little boy that he had once been. Rather, he much resembled his deceased older brother, Yamato, personality wise. In fact, he was much the same now as Yamato had been when she first met him, cold, uncaring and unduly pessimistic. She supposed it had to do with how the two were so isolated. In Yamato's case, it hadn't been voluntary, for Takeru, it was. Not for the first time did she wonder why he had chosen to isolate himself from his friends.  
  
"You're thinking of Yamato again." Hikari said sadly beside her.  
  
Sora shook herself out of her thoughts. Thankfully, the phone bell to the suite rang at that moment. Mimi got up and answered it and after giving an affirmative, announced that Tai was on his way up.  
  
And so, five minutes after seeing the strange light over the city, Tai made it to the meeting place.  
  
________________________________  
  
Thankfully, the streetlights were on. Without them, he would have been completely lost. As it was, he was only a little better then lost. Currently, he was standing at an intersection with little to no idea as to which way to go. The problem was compounded by the fact that his D3 refused to work. It was another weird occurrence this night. As he had walked through the city, he was sure that someone was watching him. The feeling had gotten especially strong as he stood here contemplating which way to go.  
  
Finally tired of the cat and mouse game, he squinted into the surrounding darkness, barely held back by the streetlights and called out, "Why don't you come out of hiding?"  
  
There was a brief silence, broken suddenly by the sound of someone clapping. In front of him where the road continued forward, a shadow detached itself and walked into the light.  
  
"Hikari?" Takeru asked squinting at the figure. A feeling of unease filled him. The girl walked forward confirming her identity but he felt even more disquieted.  
  
"Takeru," she called out, "it has been a long time. You should visit more often." Her voice was low, soft almost melodic as it lulled him into a trance. He could only watch helplessly as she walked closer and closer, finally reaching up to caress the side of his face.  
  
From a distance he heard the flap of wings and then his name. Looking up confusedly, he called out, "Pata..." He got no further, as a second shadow seemingly flew up and knocked the floating Digimon from the air. Takeru turned away from Hikari as concern for his partner overrode all other thought. "What," he exclaimed trying to follow the fight, only to be met with a fist to the stomach. Almost doubling over, he backed up a few steps and stared astonished at the girl who had punched him.  
  
Hikari, for her part, looked almost bored. "I guess seduction is out of the question now. Oh well, your loss." And saying that, she launched herself at him.  
  
Takeru hastily stepped back, narrowly avoiding the kicks and punches Hikari was aiming at him. But, was this really Hikari, he wondered? The Hikari he knew was a fairly sane person, who, as far as he knew, did not entertain any homicidal tendencies. On the other hand, as he barely blocked a kick aimed at his side, she did fight just like Hikari. It gave him an idea. In the midst of letting her drive him backwards, he glided to the side and stuck out his foot. Down she went but before her back had touched the floor, he was on his way down as well. 'Just like Kari,' he thought grimly as, quick as a cat, she recovered and leapt atop him. As they rolled across the street, he spared a glance towards the other fight.  
  
Patamon was faring little better. The other shadow as Takeru had suspected was Gatomon. In his current form, Patamon could do little more then evade the other Digimon and hope that she tired herself out. Thankfully, he had wings and was using them to keep himself out of reach.  
  
That was all Takeru saw as he was forced to acknowledge the struggling, writhing form he was fighting. Finally though, his greater strength prevailed, as he had known it would. As fast as Hikari was, she had never been any match for his strength. The same restrictions apparently applied to this double.  
  
Holding her hands above her head, he asked, "Who are you?" She didn't answer but tried to buck him off.  
  
Suddenly he heard Patamon yell, "Takeru, look out." From his periphery vision, he glimpsed a white streak fast approaching. He threw himself backwards just as the small feline went speeding past the place he had been. Of course, this allowed the fake Hikari to get free.  
  
Quickly, Takeru got to his feet. His partner floated down beside him. Belatedly, he realized that Patamon hadn't been doing as good a job of keep-away as he had thought. The little fellow was covered in scratch marks. "I think it's about time for us to beat a hasty retreat." He said watching Hikari get to her feet, a few steps away. He had squandered his chance to beat her. She would not fall for the same trick again and on her feet, his chances of winning were drastically reduced. He needed to get away and figure all this out. There could still be a chance that this was his Hikari.  
  
Patamon responded to his words though and began his evolution. Moments later, a seven-foot tall Angel stood in his place. Flexing his wings, Angemon took to the air. Takeru flashed the girl in front of him an apologetic smile, than reached up and grabbed Angemon's outstretched hand and then they were flying away. A stab of pain lanced through his left shoulder but he paid it no mind. All he was concerned with at the moment was escape.  
  
____________________________  
  
"I suppose we should get started." Tai sighed glancing at everybody else. "He'll probably show up late as usual."  
  
In the end, the vote came down to six to five, in favor of starting without Takeru. He earned himself twin glares from both Sora and Hikari for casting the deciding vote. The night was definitely off to a rocky start.  
  
"So, what'll it be," he asked picking up two packages. "This Lord of the Rings crap from America or the drama Gokusen."  
  
____________________________  
  
The pain was getting worse and the frosty December air wasn't helping matters any. Grimacing, Takeru checked to see whether they were being pursued. Not seeing anyone, he motioned Angemon over to a nearby roof.  
  
Sighing, he sank to his knees as they touched down. With his good hand, he probed his left shoulder and his fingers came into contact with the hilt of a dagger. Silently, he glanced up at his guardian and nodded affirmatively. The Angel stepped behind him and took the dagger in his hand. Takeru grunted softly as it was pulled out. Afterwards, Angemon ripped off the sleeve of Takeru's sweater and used it to bind the wound. Both knew that it was only a half way measure and that they needed to find some real bandages soon. However, for the moment, Takeru needed to recover his strength. The two companions settled down on the cold roof. After a moment Angemon reverted back to his normal form to conserve strength, flew forward and curled up in Takeru's lap.  
  
"Takeru?" He grunted non-committal and the Digimon continued. "Why were you so slow to react when that girl approached you." After a moment, he added, "Are you alright, your face is getting red."  
  
Blushing even harder, Takeru opened his eyes and glanced at his partner. "I don't know why." It wasn't true though; he knew exactly why he had hesitated. The whole scenario had played out entirely too much like one of his childhood fantasies. He grinned wryly, well until the kicking and the punching started and then they were rolling on the floor and not in the good way. For just a moment though, he had been too shocked to react.  
  
Patamon stared in consternation as a small smile broke out over his partner's face. Humans could be so strange sometimes. Curling back on Takeru's lap, he went to sleep leaving Takeru with his thoughts.  
  
His feelings for Hikari were... confused. He did not know exactly when his infatuation with her had started but it had not gone away. Unbidden, a memory came to him of the day his parents and Yamato had died. He had been shell shocked, unable to comprehend everything that had happened in the span of the past twenty-four hours. And then, she had come to him and had held him quietly. That pure act of compassion, had somehow gotten through to him and he had finally given vent to his grief. He had fallen asleep with her still holding him and in the morning had awoken to find she had not left his side.  
  
That night had come dangerously close to shattering his resolve. In the end though, he had stayed true to the vow he had sworn. He had wanted revenge and would not be deterred by anyone. Still, every now and then he had cause to wonder what his life would have been like if he had not left that morning.  
  
Takeru shook his head irritably, too unworthy, these thoughts of his. He had made his choice and it was better for everybody involved. The last thing he wanted was for Hikari to end up like his family. Still, Sumeragi was dead... NO, he couldn't, wouldn't doubt his decisions. Especially not now, when his membership in the Guardians was practically confirmed.  
  
Groaning, he rose to his feet, cradling Patamon gently in his hands. Taking a deep breath he banished all thoughts of Hikari; there were other more important matters to deal with. For one, his D3 wasn't working at all and he had no way of pulling up a virtual map of the city and getting to the meeting place. This forced him to rely upon his memories. And they were dodgy considering he had not been in Tokyo for quite a while. He had only the most basic of knowledge concerning the area around the hotel. Closing his eyes, he tried to dig up more information from the depths of his mind.  
  
An explosion, a few blocks away jolted him out of his trance. In his hands, Patamon stirred and awoke. A moment later they were both off to discover the cause of the explosion.  
  
___________________________  
  
The movie was half over and Takeru was still absent. What's worse was that the feeling of unease Tai had felt when looking at that mysterious light over the city had returned. It was also getting stronger. Extricating himself from Sora, he quietly apologized and made his way to the balcony window to catch a breath of fresh air. As he drew back the curtains, his eyes widened at the dark necropolis that stretched out beyond the balcony window. Quickly sliding back the window screen, he stepped outside. The entire city was black, as if hit by a power outage. Only, it looked a great deal more ominous because of the lack of noise and the absence of any vehicles. Even the expressway to the hotels left lay dark.  
  
"Guys..." and then more authoritatively, "GUYS, come look at this." They were by his side almost immediately.  
  
A moment of silence and then: "Is it a blackout?" Iori asked.  
  
Koushirou shook his head. "Only if it's struck the cars as well."  
  
Tai opened his mouth to speak but just then, the television went black behind them. A strange light from the sky followed this phenomenon. Glancing up, Tai yelled for everybody to scatter. Taking the only avenue of escape they could afford, the chosen leapt off the balcony. Seconds later, a huge fireball crashed into the balcony, raining debris down on the teenagers. However, by then their partners had evolved and carried them to safety. Unfortunately, that one fireball was not the last as the air was suddenly filled with them.  
  
Tai cursed under his breath as Greymon dodged to and fro and lumbered down the deserted street. There was no chance of regrouping with the others. Whoever was up there had scouted their position well. He could only hope that the others remembered the location they had set aside for just such a crisis. They could regroup there and then proceed against whichever enemy was arrayed against them now.  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
A/N: This Rewrite has cleared up a few grammatical errors in the first chapter as well as changing around the structure of a few of the paragraphs. It will all reflect better on the overall arc. ________________________________________________________________________  
  
DRAMATIS PERSONAE  
  
Takeru Ishida: 19 years old  
Special Powers: Healing/Conduit and Recipient  
Wanders the Digital World, looking for those that killed his family.  
  
Hikari Yagami: 19 years old  
Special Powers: Shield and Telepathy/Conduit and Recipient  
Took over leadership of the second team of chosen during the War with  
Daemon.  
  
Taichi Yagami: 22 years old  
Special Power: Elemental Fire  
Overall leader of both groups of chosen.  
  
Yamato Ishida: Age - N/A  
Deceased  
  
Sora Takenouchi: 22 years old  
Special Powers: Shield and Telepathy  
Tai's second in command  
  
Jyou Kido: 23 years old  
Special Powers: Healing  
  
Koushirou Izumi: 21 years old  
Special Powers: Elemental Lightning  
  
Mimi Tachikawa: 21 years old  
Special Powers: Shield and Telepathy  
Moved to America after the defeat of the Dark Masters.  
Provides  
a link between the Western Chosen to those in Japan.  
  
Ken Ichijouji: 20 years old  
Special Power: Healing  
Second in command to Hikari Yagami.  
  
Daisuke Motomiya: 20 years old  
No special powers  
Relinquished leadership to Hikari after freezing in battle.  
  
Miyako Inoue: 20 years old  
No special powers  
  
Iori Hida: 17 years old  
No special powers  
  
Ryo Sumeragi: Age – Unknown  
A renegade Guardian, Ryo Sumeragi allied himself with the Undersea  
Master and targeted the holders of the crest of hope and light. Reasoning  
that light cannot survive without hope, he targeted Takeru Ishida and  
attempted to drive him to despair by killing his family. Met his death at  
the hands of the Keeper of Hope three years after murdering his family.  
  
Gennai: Age – Unknown  
Prime Guardian.  
  
The Guardians: A group that protects the Digital World from within and without. They  
have a significant presence in the real world as well.  
  
The Undersea Master: Source of Ultimate Darkness. Named in several of Earth's older  
prophecies as the dread god Cthulhu. 


	2. Chapter 2

Midnight Blossoms  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon  
  
Takeru noticed the girl as he and Angemon neared the source of the explosion. She was running away, sticking close to the shadows. A white Gatomon trotted a few paces behind, covering her. Takeru motioned Angemon to bring them down. As they were descending, he reached inside his pocket and pulled out a small metal cylinder. The force pike was beyond useless at this point but it might give her pause and him enough time to make another getaway.  
  
Below, the girl glanced at the sky in trepidation as Angemon descended but then she visibly relaxed as she realized who this was. "Takeru," Hikari cried rushing forward after he and Angemon had set down.  
  
Takeru pressed a button on the force pike and the small metal tube expanded to nearly three meters. Hikari stepped back in confusion as he leveled the pike at her. Gatomon rushed up beside her, equally confused.  
  
Takeru leaned forward, staring right into her eyes. "Kari."  
  
"Keru," she replied mystified.  
  
Takeru straightened. 'Damned if he could tell the difference.' The face, the hair even the clothes were the same.  
  
"You're hurt," Hikari spoke softly eyeing his shoulder.  
  
That decided him and it wasn't like the force lance would do him much good right now. She could pretty much take it away from him if she wanted. The one consolation was that he didn't have the same feeling of unease that had struck him before and Patamon had not reacted negatively to the girl as yet.  
  
Retracting the force pike, he tossed it to her. "It's nothing and what's going on around here?"  
  
Hikari shrugged, catching the pike. "I have no clue. We were at Mimi's and then Tai noticed all this," she gestured towards their surroundings, "and then the attacks started. We barely got out in time. I was making my way to our meeting spot when you found me."  
  
"Lead on," Takeru motioned. "I'll explain what I've encountered along the way.  
  
_________________________  
  
The dark silhouette of the Torii, marking the entrance to the Yasukuni Shrine, rose up in front of them. The place looked deserted but Hikari did not want to take any chances especially after what Takeru had told her. Their doubles may very well know of this place too.  
  
Gently, she lowered her friend to the floor, propping him up against one of the pillars of the Torii. His wound was getting worse. "Rest here a while, Keru. I'll take a quick look around."  
  
He smiled weakly at her. "Good idea. Be careful."  
  
Hikari nodded. "Gato, stay here with him," she said rising to her feet. Gatomon started to protest but Hikari held up a hand forestalling any arguments. "Just do it, I'll be fine." And with that she slunk off into the shadows.  
  
Takeru watched bemusedly as the feline Digimon cursed under her breath. Atop his head, Patamon chuckled. "You've been spending too much time around humans, Gato."  
  
"And you've been spending too much time around Digimon." She snapped.  
  
"Touchy," Takeru murmured.  
  
Gatomon paused in her restless pacing. "Sorry, I just don't like it when she goes rushing off into danger."  
  
"I know how you're feeling," Takeru replied. "I'd send you after her but I don't think I'm up to handling the resulting argument.  
  
Gatomon peered intently at him in the gloom. "She misses you."  
  
An uncomfortable silence stretched out during which Gatomon feared that Takeru had fallen asleep. Then suddenly he spoke and his voice was icy, controlled, "I am the wrong person for her. Besides, she's with Daisuke now."  
  
Gatomon wished she could make out his features in the darkness. Unfortunately, his face was hidden within a particularly deep swathe of shadows. "She hasn't been with Daisuke for a year or so. He tried his hardest to make it work but in the end, even he realized that he wasn't who she wanted."  
  
Another long silence and then just the faintest whisper that Gatomon had to strain her ears to catch, "I'm not the right person."  
  
Thankfully, Takeru was saved from Gatomon's cutting reply by Hikari's abrupt return. She had gotten a first aid kit from one of the adjoining buildings. "The shrine is secure." She said, kneeling down and slipping underneath Takeru's good shoulder to help him stand. "Just hold on a bit longer and I'll have you properly bandaged up."  
  
The walk to the shrine was a dim haze for Takeru. He had to concentrate all his energy into putting one foot in front of the other, all the while trying to ignore the dull throbbing in his shoulder. Finally, after an eternity, they reached the shrine and passed inside. Hikari slid the door shut and then concentrated a moment. Slowly, their surroundings became illuminated as a small ball of pure light took shape above them.  
  
Hikari lowered Takeru to the floor of the main room of the shrine and then working expertly, stripped him of his sweater and shirt and bandaged his shoulder. He smiled tiredly at her when she was done.  
  
"Thank you." Reflexively, he rolled his shoulder and stiffened as pain lanced through it.  
  
"Careful," Hikari hissed, "the wound wasn't particularly deep but it'll take a day or two to fully heal."  
  
"It's a good think that we heal fast. Still, I'm going to attempt to speed things up a bit."  
  
Hikari's eyes widened. "Have you finally figured out how to use your power on yourself?"  
  
"Only partially," Takeru grimaced, "and the experience leaves me weak for hours. I'll try it now. I have a feeling that I'll need my full faculties for whatever is coming."  
  
Hikari frowned. "And I suppose there are some dangers in using this technique in your particularly weakened state that you aren't mentioning."  
  
Takeru winced. Leave it to her to read him like an open book. Still, "the gain outweighs the cost in this instance."  
  
Hikari said nothing merely staring at him. Unable to hold the gaze, he looked down. On the whole, it was rather ridiculous, he thought. She had not even spoken and already he felt like the proverbial kid with his hands caught in the equally proverbial cookie jar. Worse still, any objection he could raise would sound childish. She always did this to him. It was usually a precursor to an argument between them. Not feeling up to that type of battle, he resigned himself into giving in. However, before he could speak she made the decision for him.  
  
"Alright, but be careful." Noting the astonished look on his face, she smiled. "I do have a request though. I'm going to patrol the streets outside the shrine for the others. If you finish before I get back, you are not to leave this place."  
  
"But." Takeru began but trailed off as her smile turned to a glare.  
  
"No arguing. That's my condition. I can hold you here insensate if I want but I'd rather not do that."  
  
Takeru held up both hands. "Alright alright, I agree. Just be careful."  
  
Hikari rose to her feet. "I always am." Her words fell on deaf ears though because by that time Takeru had already entered a trance. Slightly annoyed, she turned to fetch him some blankets. Honestly, he never took his own well being into account. It was then that she noticed something strange. She got down to her knees and studied Takeru's broad muscular back. There was a roadmap of old white scars there that she remembered. The memory still filled her with a white, hot rage. Anger at that bastard, Ryo Sumeragi, for doing this to him and anger at Takeru for taking her place as his hostage. They had stormed Sumeragi's hold two weeks later to discover that he had escaped and killed Sumeragi in the ensuing chaos. He had been near death himself but thankfully Ken and Jyou's powers had been enough to bring him back.  
  
Hikari shook herself of the old memories. That wasn't what had drawn her attention. Imprinted over the older scars was a fresh batch of newer ones. Glancing up she met Patamon's eyes. The little Digimon was sitting on Takeru's head looking down at her.  
  
"What did this?" She asked quietly.  
  
Patamon hesitated then seemed to come to a decision. "The tests for Guardian status," he began. "The tests are very hard. He literally had to relive all of the darkest moments of his life." A tone of fierce pride entered Patamon's voice. "He did very well."  
  
Hikari sat motionlessly for a long moment. Then finally, she rose to her feet and started towards the exit.  
  
"Hikari," Patamon called from behind her. She paused. "He's killing himself. Can't you do anything to help him?"  
  
"I can't help him Pata." She replied stiffly, her voice controlled. "He's shut me out completely." Stifling the light, she slid back the door and stepped out into the night.  
__________________________  
  
Next: The rest of the chosen meet up at the shrine.  
  
Author's Notes: This story was originally just going to be two chapters but nearly sixty pages later, I decided to condense the chapters into smaller bits. Now, we're looking at, at least five to six chapters. I know this isn't the easiest story to understand but please give me just one review, even if it's only to flame. I've set up a tentative timeline detailing the important events that you should know about. It'll be included in the next chapter. Until next time.. 


	3. Chapter 3

Midnight Blossoms  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.  
  
_____________________________________________________________________  
  
"Don't tell me you've gotten us lost." Miyako hissed as Daisuke studied the intersection, trying to match it up with what he remembered.  
  
"Quiet down Dragon Lady, I'm trying to think." Daisuke shot back distractedly. Beside him V-mon chuckled under his breath. Even Hawkmon started to snicker before wisely shutting his beak as Miyako glared down at him.  
  
Not for the first time, Miyako wondered what cruel twist of fate had forced her together with Daisuke. If she had been with Hikari, they would already be at the temple by now. Hikari's sense of direction was impeccable. Even one of the others would have been an ideal choice. But no, she had to get stuck with the only person whose sense of direction was possibly worse then her own. Life was too unfair sometimes.  
  
"I think we're supposed to go left."  
  
Miyako rolled her eyes, about to bite back with a scathing commentary when the howling of a wolf interrupted her. From behind them V-mon and Hawkmon suddenly ran up. "What the ......" she exclaimed turning around and trailed off at the site that confronted her.  
  
A block away from them, a giant snow-white wolf had bounded into view. Atop its back was a blonde haired figure she recognized from so long ago.  
  
"Remember, no confrontations until we know what we're dealing with," Daisuke whispered from behind her. "When he charges ..." Daisuke got no further as the wolf charged.  
  
Miyako ran left, sparing a single glance behind her to see that Daisuke had not moved. Slowing down, she cursed, what was he up to. Suddenly, he threw himself right just as the wolf came speeding through the place he'd been standing in a moment before. The wolf skidded to a stop, turning its deadly gaze upon Daisuke. As for Daisuke, he did what only he would do when confronted with adversity; he stuck out his tongue.  
  
"C'mon, is that the best you got." Saying that, he bolted down the side street, the wolf in pursuit.  
  
Miyako blistered the air with curses, unsure whether to go after Daisuke or try to find the shrine. After some consideration, she decided on the shrine. Instructing Hawkmon to cover her from above, she set out. A few blocks later, she finally discovered a familiar landmark. It was a boutique where she and Hikari regularly shopped. Her mood brightened considerably. She knew the way to the shrine from here.  
  
A thud from inside the boutique cut her levity short. Not wanting to be discovered and peering into shadows to make sure she wasn't, she continued onwards. Still, she missed the Gatomon observing her from the roof of the boutique.  
  
___________________________  
  
"Oh no," Mimi squealed unhappily, "this is just awful."  
  
From the head of the alley, Tai and Ken glanced back at her in concern. "Is something wrong?" Tai asked softly. "And for god sakes, keep your voice down."  
  
Mimi's eyes glinted dangerously. "I will absolutely not keep my voice down, Taichi Yagami," She whispered. "Look at what .. whoever it was did to my brand new skirt."  
  
Tai glanced at the tiny hole in the fabric of the otherwise untouched skirt. "Considering the alternative, I can't say that I'm too distressed with the outcome."  
  
"He's back," Ken whispered urgently motioning for them to be silent.  
  
Tai and Mimi joined him at the mouth of the alley. Illuminated by the light of the streetlamps, walked a boy. His resemblance to Tai was uncanny as was the resemblance of the Digimon that walked behind him to Agumon. The boy looked to be checking the shadows, probably looking for them. The Digimon was the main problem though as it was sniffing the air, leading the boy right to their alley. Grimacing, Tai smeared some more of the garbage he and Ken had taken out of a resident dumpster and smeared it over Mimi to further deaden the odor of her perfume. To her credit, she kept quiet.  
  
The three hid themselves within the thickest shadows the alley provided, as the boy and his Digimon walked past. After peering into the shadows of the alley, the boy continued on. His Agumon however, didn't and sniffed the air cautiously a few times. But then, it too moved on. As he moved past, Tai and the others moved back towards the mouth of the alley to observe.  
  
The boy had reached the end of the street and was talking rather heatedly with a girl. "Damn it Roy, I know I saw some of them come this way." The girl said loudly. "I knew this idiotic plan of yours wouldn't work. You underestimated them and now Michael will have your ......"  
  
Her voice was cut off in a strangled choke as Roy lunged forward, grabbing her neck. He said something softly to her and then shoved her back. The girl staggered but kept her feet. Glaring daggers at the boy in front of her, she walked away. After a moment, Roy continued onwards, checking the shadows. Within the alley, Tai turned back to Mimi and Ken. Before he could say anything Mimi blurted out, "I sound nothing like that."  
  
"Well actually ......" Ken shut his mouth quickly as she glared at him.  
  
"Alright, enough fun and games." Tai interjected. "This has been one seriously weird night. We're going to make our way to the shrine and hook up with everybody else. Then, we'll decide what to do." Raising his head, Tai whispered softly. "Agumon, you and Palmon should cover us."  
  
A small grunt of affirmation came from above and the three friends set off.  
  
_________________________  
  
Sora peered over the edge of the hut shaped roof to witness the scene unfolding on the roof of the small building adjacent to them. Beside her lay, Koushirou, Jyou and Iori, all focused upon the same thing.  
  
"How could you let him get away," Takeru said heatedly. "All you had to do was bat your eyelashes and he'd be following you around for days."  
  
Hikari glared at him. "I got him with my dagger, didn't I. He's probably rotting in some alley right now."  
  
"We can't assume that," Takeru argued. "This is where the trail of blood stops. He probably bandaged himself here."  
  
As far as impersonations went, these were quite good, Sora thought. The mannerisms, the voices and even the clothes were the same as that of the chosen. There was a vague feeling of unease though, as if the hair on the back of her neck were standing on end. Their Digimon had confirmed the feeling. Apparently, they could smell through these disguises. Biyomon had explained that each human had a unique smell but these copies didn't. In fact, they had no smell at all.  
  
Sora turned her attention back towards the fake Takeru and Hikari as their argument got decidedly more heated. After a bitter exchange, Hikari's arm flashed up. Takeru easily caught the slap but didn't let go of the arm when she tried jerking it back. The next moment he was on his back as she tackled him to the floor. And then her lips were on his and they were rolling around quite aggressively on the floor.  
  
Sora closed her eyes in disgust. Nudging Koushirou beside her, she whispered, "We should head for the shrine now." They had been on their way to it when they had come across the two doppelgangers.  
  
Koushirou flashed her a lecherous grin. "What? Are you kidding. I wanna see who wins."  
  
"Pervert," Sora muttered but his grin only widened. Rolling her eyes, she turned towards Jyou only to find his eyes locked upon the scene too. Past him, Iori had turned his head away. Catching his eye, she quietly mouthed, "You get the dork, I'll bring the geek." Iori grinned in understanding.  
  
And so, with a grumbling Koushirou and Jyou in tow, Sora and Iori made their way to the shrine. They had almost reached it when Angemon burst out from the entrance and took to the air, Takeru hanging on to his arms.  
  
_________________________  
  
All her thoughts kept circling back towards that infuriating blonde. It was distracting and she didn't need that right now. She tried to think about something else, anything else but her thoughts kept going around in circles until they inevitably ended up back on Takeru. Growling, she rammed the side of her fist into a nearby wall. Why was this so hard. He had hurt her more times then she cared to remember and just like a girl in one of those clichéd love stories she hated, she kept going back. She could learn from her mistakes, couldn't she? Why couldn't she learn from this one? What use was trying to get close to him when he would just end up leaving again. Why couldn't she just learn her lesson? Maybe it had something to do with the guilt she felt over Yamato's death. If only she had gotten to the e-mail Takeru had sent her, faster, Yamato may have survived. Maybe that was it, she felt guilty about Yamato.  
  
Hikari shook her head irritably. No, that couldn't be it. Her feelings went beyond simple guilt. No, guilt had nothing to do with feelings of love. She paused. And there it was, she loved him. She had tried to deny it for the past three years, had tried to find solace in the arms of others, a particular episode of her life she wasn't proud of, but nothing had worked and in the end, she had just given up.  
  
With a certainty, Hikari knew that her earlier words had been false. She would try to help Takeru and would inevitably get pushed away. It would hurt but it could not be as bad as the first time or even the second. Her heart could only be broken so many times before it became numb.  
  
"Face it Hikari Yagami," she muttered under her breath, "you're a glutton for punishment."  
  
Rousing herself from these particularly dark thoughts, she motioned for Gatomon to join her. A moment later, the cat bounded up out of the shadows. "I'm going to a boutique, a few blocks away. I have an idea. Stay in the shadows when we get there and keep watch outside but I don't want you to interfere with anybody on their way to the shrine."  
  
Gatomon nodded and then slipped back into the shadows.  
  
_____________________  
  
Miyako rapped her knuckles on the door of the shrine three times in quick succession. The door slid open and she let out a strangled yelp as two strong arms grabbed her shoulders and yanked her inside. She stumbled, quickly regaining her balance as someone closed the door behind her. Miyako whirled around and then relaxed as she saw Angemon at the door with Hawkmon in his hands.  
  
"Sorry," Angemon said softly. "I didn't want anybody to see the light outside."  
  
Miyako looked around, noticing the soft dull light that was coming from further inside the shrine. "What is it?" She asked.  
  
"Takeru. He was hurt and is recovering."  
  
Hearing Takeru's name brought back the memory of the encounter she had been through. The story burst forth from her lips. Afterwards, Angemon was silent for a time and then he moved towards the inside of the shrine where Takeru was meditating.  
  
_______________________  
  
Takeru walked the passageways of his memories and the scenery was sparse. A dense fog surrounded him, covering everything. He could hardly even see his own hands. He wasn't concerned with his hands though.  
  
Slowly, the fog started to dissipate and was replaced by a familiar scene. It was of him and Yamato on a gray December evening, playing in the snow. It was a memory from happier times when everything had been so simple. It was also not what he wanted to see. He concentrated and the scene changed again. This time he was in a clearing, surrounded by a thick forest on all sides. Unlike other memories that often played out from a first person perspective, this one was third person. It was as much artificial as it was real. He had put a lot of work in trying to reconstruct this scene in third person. This memory was as important to him as the previous one.  
  
Takeru watched as his thirteen-year-old self rushed headlong into the clearing, Angemon on his heels. He paused at the head of the clearing, viewing the tableau in front of him. Yamato Ishida was on his knees, his head bowed down and his arms stretched out to either side and held by two men. Behind him stood a man he had never seen before.  
  
Snarling, Takeru rushed forward. The blast came from the left side of the woods and struck Angemon in the chest. He was pushed back until he was flattened against a tree. Groaning, he collapsed to his knees and de- evolved to his rookie form. Takeru paused in his headlong rush, looking at his partner.  
  
"Oy, boy." The voice caused him to twirl around. The man standing behind Yamato had come forward. "My name is Ryo Sumeragi. I killed your mother and father and now I'll kill your brother. But before that, I'll give you a chance. We'll fight and if you beat me, you and your brother can go free."  
  
His heart burgeoning with rage, Takeru strode forward. From the first punch, he knew that he didn't stand a chance. Time after time, he got up only to be knocked down again. Lying face down in the dirt, he could taste his own blood. His breath came in ragged gasps as he tried to struggle to his feet again but his arms and legs wouldn't support him.  
  
"Pathetic." He heard and saw Sumeragi say in derision. "Is this all you are?" Sumeragi started walking towards Yamato.  
  
"No," Takeru croaked trying to rise to his feet. He saw the glint of a blade and desperation leant him some strength. "NO," he screamed staggering forward as Sumeragi drew the knife across Yamato's throat. Takeru found himself falling forward and hit the ground hard.  
  
The sound of boots over hard packed earth and then a fist in his hair, pulling his head up. "Remember this moment boy," Sumeragi said smirking. "Remember how weak you were and how your family paid the price for it." A fist thudded into the side of Takeru's face driving the last vestiges of consciousness from him.  
  
The scene paused, reset and began playing again. Takeru stood and watched, absorbing the images. He did not know how long he stood there but after a time, there came a disturbance.  
  
"What is wrong?" Takeru asked as Angemon materialized beside him. The scene paused as Takeru's attention was diverted.  
  
Angemon stared at the scene and sighed looking down at Takeru reproachfully. Why did he keep doing this to himself? The past should remain buried in the past, not be carried around like a burden.  
  
"Angemon?" Takeru queried.  
  
Angemon shook himself and quickly related all that Miyako had told him. Takeru blinked and Angemon suddenly found himself back within his own body. Across from him, Takeru's eyes snapped open and moments later they were flying over Tokyo.  
  
______________________  
  
Daisuke dodged the first two punches, blocked the third punch and countered with a kick. The man he was fighting glided backwards gracefully and avoided the kick. Daisuke quickly snapped another quick kick to delay a follow up from his adversary and took the few seconds he had bought himself to check on V-mon.  
  
The Digimon was stirring but was definitely out of it, which ruled out Bio Merging. Earlier, they had tried to escape by taking to the air. However, before they had been very far off the ground, the Garurumon had tackled them in the air. XV-mon had managed to turn the fall though and the wolf had been destroyed. Unfortunately, he had not managed to escape the fall unscathed and now Daisuke was alone and, at best, the fight was going evenly.  
  
Knowing that he had to put away the enemy before reinforcements arrived, Daisuke leapt forward, taking the flight to his adversary. After a fierce exchange, the two broke apart, breathing heavily. The man in front of him suddenly raised his hand and it started glowing.  
  
"Damn," Daisuke muttered under his breath. This guy had Yamato's elemental powers. That could make things extremely dicey.  
  
Suddenly a shadow dropped out of the sky landed behind the man. He stiffened, his hand losing the white glow and crumpled to the floor. Takeru rose to his feet tiredly, scowling down at the figure he had just knocked out.  
  
Across from him Daisuke started to open his mouth to ask a question but he quickly put up both hands to forestall him. "I'll explain everything later. Grab V-mon and let's go. I passed two others on their way here."  
  
Daisuke nodded but then hesitated, his lips twitching upwards. "Isn't this weather a bit cold for you to be doing Bruce Lee impressions?"  
  
It was only then that Takeru realized that he had left the temple in such a hurry that he had left his sweater and shirt behind. The result was that he was totally bare from the waist up. He grimaced at Daisuke, "Just grab V-mon. I'll strip our friend here and we can be on our way."  
  
When Daisuke returned with V-mon, Takeru had almost finished taking off the unconscious man's shirt and coat and was in the process of putting them on. Afterwards, he instructed Angemon to take the man to the shrine. As Angemon left, he and Daisuke set off for the shrine on foot. They encountered only one patrol along the way and Takeru could see the questions forming behind Daisuke's eyes as he was confronted by a twin version of himself. Soon though, they were at the shrine and despite his exhaustion, Takeru looked forward to getting some much-needed answers.  
  
_______________________  
  
Himself, Tai and Mimi had gotten to the shrine a little before Angemon returned, bearing the body of Yamato Ishida. It wasn't Yamato though. Ken had seen too much this night to be so easily fooled. No, this particular imposter had only been sent out as a jab against the chosen. Tai and Sora had been particularly livid. Their guest was currently bound and gagged and awaiting his fate in one of the adjoining buildings. Now, they awaited Takeru and Daisuke's return.  
  
From the corner of his eye, Ken studied Hikari. She looked for all the world like a person at ease, leaning back against the far wall, but he knew her better then most. She was dangerously close to losing her temper and Ken suspected he knew why. It was Takeru, again. Hikari took her duties as leader seriously and since Takeru was technically under her charge, she assumed responsibility for him. However, Takeru did not operate under those conditions. He never had. Even when they had been together, all those years ago, he had always moved according to his own discretion. Which was not to say that he didn't follow orders. He did and very well but every now and then, he had tended to go off on his own. Tai was resigned to it but Hikari was not.  
  
With a start, Ken noticed Hikari looking at him. In the soft light that enveloped the room, he saw her arch one eyebrow inquisitively. Flushing, Ken looked away. Apparently, he had become too candid in his observation and she had noticed him. Thankfully, he was saved, as there came a soft tapping on the front door of the shrine. Miyako was there instantly and slid the door open ushering Takeru and Daisuke inside.  
  
Takeru raised a hand in greeting and then suddenly Hikari was there in front of him. Ken saw his eyes widen in alarm and then he staggered backwards as she slapped him with full force.  
  
"You ...... you have no consideration." Hikari said in a voice that sounded like she was trying to keep from screaming.  
  
Takeru slowly straightened and the two stared at each other. Ken saw Miyako and Daisuke quietly inching away from the pair. Both knew that an argument between the two was imminent and neither wanted to be caught up in it.  
  
"I ...... I'm sorry."  
  
Ken's eyes widened. Was that deference he heard, from Takeru? He noted that Miyako and Daisuke were similarly shocked and couldn't imagine the countenance of the other chosen being any different.  
  
"I just heard the news and reacted without thinking. I ...... I apologize for making you worry."  
  
Hikari just stared at Takeru until he bowed his head. With a grunt, she turned and walked away. Takeru looked up as she was turning away and Ken saw something flash within his eyes but it was gone as soon as it had appeared and then Takeru was walking towards him.  
  
"Ken," he said by way of greeting and sank down beside him.  
  
"Takeru," Ken politely nodded.  
  
Takeru was silent for a moment. "Did Angemon get back with that double?"  
  
"Yes, the guy's in the adjoining museum. Tai and Sora are with him."  
  
"Good," Takeru said closing his eyes. He was soon fast asleep and therefore missed some of the excitement that happened next.  
  
___________________________  
  
Next: Takeru interrogates the prisoner and many secrets are revealed.  
  
___________________________  
  
Author's Notes: Well, another week, another chapter. I want to thank the people that took the time to review the fic. As a note, the Ryo in this story isn't the Ryo from Tamers or Frontier. I haven't even seen those two seasons yet. This fic is just a way for me to make up a story revolving around the plot holes the first two seasons left for us. Another note, I won't be referring to the Undersea Master as anything other then the Undersea Master. Well, maybe as Cthulhu because there are just so many parallels there. Furthermore, I've already broken one of the things I said in the first chapter. There will be a little revision concerning Takeru and Hikari's history and I'll get to other pairings like Taiora and Miyaken later on. In fact, Miyaken may not even happen till the sequel. In any case, here's the promised timeline.  
  
___________________________  
  
TIMELINE  
  
2000 - 02 ends (Takeru is eleven years old)  
  
2002 - Yamato dies and Sumeragi goes into hiding. (Takeru is thirteen years old)  
  
2005 - Sumeragi dies (Takeru is sixteen years old)  
  
BACKSTORY (Missing Events)  
  
2003 -- Daemon escapes the Dark Ocean  
Daisuke steps down as leader of the 02 chosen  
Daemon is defeated by Imperial Dramon under mysterious circumstances  
  
2004 -- An extensive investigation is launched by the Japanese government to understand the many mysterious events taking place within their borders. Several anonymous tips point them towards the chosen.  
  
2005 -- In early 2005, the chosen flee their homes when their own Government tries to apprehend them. In the resulting chaos, Sumeragi resurfaces and kidnaps Hikari. Takeru reappears after three years and trades places with Hikari as Sumeragi's prisoner. The chosen storm Sumeragi's hidden citadel. In the resulting chaos, Takeru  
  
escapes and kills Sumeragi.  
  
2006 -- Takeru begins his entry into the Guardians.  
The rest of the chosen return home and begin fake lives set up for them by the Guardians.  
  
2007 -- Takeru begins tests for Guardian status.  
He is reunited with Hikari as they both must face one test together.  
  
2008 -- Midnight Blossoms begins 


	4. Chapter 4

Midnight Blossoms  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon  
  
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A/N: This chapter is a little bit late and the next one will probably be a late too because I have to do some major revisions. It's all because of the damned Epilogue which spiraled out of control. Anyways, enjoy and review too. Reviews are my currency and you people don't want me going hungry, do you?  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
It was dark and he was in a strange room. The thought caused a strange sort of panic within Takeru. He did not like the dark. There was a muffled whimper and a moment later he realized that it was coming from him. Closing his eyes he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He would not lose control like this. It was then that he saw the soft glow of light peeking out from under what could only be a door. Throwing off the blanket someone had kindly provided him with, he scrambled over to the door on all fours. He could hear the murmur of voices coming from the other side. Composing himself as best he could, he opened the door.  
  
The majority of the group, minus Hikari and Sora, were in the room. They were sitting in a large square, eating and talking. However, all sound stopped when he opened the doors. Feeling everybody's eyes on him, he made his way over to where Daisuke and Ken were sitting. Quietly, they made room for him and he sat down. Taking a slice of what appeared to be homemade Pizza, he looked up at Tai.  
  
"So, fill me in already. Did you get him to talk yet?"  
  
"No," Tai admitted ruefully. "But then again, we haven't properly interrogated him either."  
  
There was a double meaning to Tai's words. Takeru didn't want to dwell on it yet though. There would be time enough for that later. "What about Hikari or Sora? They can scan him mentally."  
  
Tai shook his head. "His mind is laced with traps."  
  
"Have you tried connecting to the Digital World?"  
  
"Yeah, but no go there either. Nobody's digivices are working and the only electricity in the city seems to be going to the street lights."  
  
Takeru nodded thoughtfully. He had pretty much guessed all of this. "I want to be the one that interrogates the prisoner." He said around mouthfuls of pizza.  
  
"Are you sure? I don't want him dead."  
  
Takeru's grin chilled Tai. "I captured him so technically he's my prisoner and he's imitating my dead brother. I'm not making any promises as to his health at the end."  
  
There was a long silence after that as everybody ate quietly. After they had finished, Tai led Takeru into the adjoining museum (Yushukan) where they were holding the prisoner. On the way there Tai explained some of the various events that had happened while Takeru had been asleep. Apparently, there was a psychic presence in the city searching for their prisoner's whereabouts. Sora had barely managed to shield him in time and even then she and Hikari had to work in tandem to keep the presence from making mental contact. The two girls were currently with the prisoner and could not leave because they had to keep a constant watch.  
  
Takeru poured over all this information thoughtfully. He had faith that the two girls would be able to shield the prisoner adequately. They were the two most powerful telepaths on record in the Guardian archives and they weren't in any danger unless the presence actually made mental contact with the patient. From what he remembered reading about the thoughtscape at the Guardian library, it did not work like navigation in the physical world. Unless you could pinpoint an exact source, you pretty much stumbled around a vague hazy nothingness.  
  
The prisoner was being kept in Exhibition Room eleven. Takeru approved of the choice immediately. This particular Exhibition Room housed the ancient weapons of Japan and would be a subtle reminder to the prisoner of the bloody work to come.  
  
The Exhibition room itself was shrouded in shadows. The prisoner was strapped to a chair in the middle of the room and there was a small ball of light that hung over his head, illuminating the room with a soft yellow light. Sora and Hikari stood a little apart from him, their bodies glowing with their own inner aura. As he and Tai approached they both turned around. Sora smiled at him in greeting and his heart gave a little lurch. Aside from Hikari, Sora was the closest friend he had among the chosen. A small voice inside berated him. He needed to do this and after what they saw tonight, maybe he could finally break the two remaining bonds that remained between him and his past life. Hikari would see this and finally let go of her silly schoolgirl crush on him and Sora would be horrified at what the sweet, innocent little boy she had looked after all those years ago had become. They would both have to let go after tonight. A brief thought entered his mind about the others but he dismissed it. There was nothing there for him to break. The years of detachment had accomplished that for him.  
  
Schooling his face into its familiar detached expression, he nodded at both girls. "Hello, I'm here to interrogate the prisoner." He heard a snort of derision and smiled chillingly at the man strapped to the chair. "Wait your turn, I'll be there soon enough."  
  
He turned back to Tai, Sora and Hikari and ushered them a little way away from the prisoner. "I only have one rule: whatever I say or do, don't interfere. There is a certain art to this." He turned towards Hikari and held out his hand. "The force pike I gave you, please."  
  
Wordlessly, Hikari reached inside her pocket and drew it out. She hesitated a moment but then handed it to him.  
  
"Thank you," he said tonelessly and then walked over to the prisoner while switching on the force pike. He paused just beyond the light, observing the man for a long moment. "Did you know that you were betrayed?" He asked almost conversationally.  
  
The man only glared at him.  
"Oh, it's true. Let me see if I can piece this together. You were given Yamato Ishida's file, told how he acted, his nuances and his attitude. You were to go out, parade yourself around, maybe even kill one of us if you could. Am I right?"  
  
The prisoner still said nothing.  
  
"But," Takeru continued, "what your employers failed to mention is that Yamato Ishida died six years ago. In the end, your whole purpose was just to make us angry at seeing the desecration of my brother's memory." He stepped forward into the light. "Tell me, did they give you any statistics about me?"  
  
The man's eyes studied him slowly. "You're Yamato Ishida's little brother. I know, I've read your file."  
  
"Really? How much do you know about me?"  
  
"You're Yamato's younger brother, Takeru Ishida, the bearer of the crest of hope."  
  
"Is that all?" Takeru questioned. "I'm disappointed. I thought I had at least achieved some sort of notoriety among the renegade Guardians. I feel almost sorry for you right now. Your employers just threw you to the wolves." He walked forward and grabbed the prisoner's hand and one of his fingers. He slowly bent it back, ignoring the cries of pain from his captive, until there was an audible crack. He stepped back smiling. "I'm a little out of practice doing this so excuse me if I don't get everything right the first time."  
  
Takeru waited patiently for the man's cries to die down. "What's your name?" He asked almost as an afterthought. "It would be rather discourteous of me to keep referring to you as, 'hey you.'"  
  
"My name is Joshua Briggs." The prisoner gasped in between ragged breaths.  
  
"You're American?" Takeru said a little surprised.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Well, that's surprising. I don't know of any renegade Guardians on file in America. Ah well, where and how did you go about copying my brother's face and who are those others running around out there impersonating the rest of us."  
  
Joshua glanced around fearfully. "I ...... I can't tell you that."  
  
"Wrong answer," Takeru said softly. The pike was a blur in his hands as he brought it down on Joshua's right wrist, shattering it. He grinded the pike into the back of his hand for good measure and stepped back to see the results of his work. In truth, this was proving a lot easier then he had originally thought. The man may have possessed Yamato's power but he had nowhere near Yamato's resiliency even if Yamato had been only sixteen years old to this man's early twenties. He might as well give the kid his big speech.  
  
"Let me tell about myself. There was a time when just thinking about doing what I'm doing to you right now would have never crossed my mind. However, those were happier times. I had parents who, despite a divorce, still loved me. And then, there was my elder brother that cared so much for me that he was willing to put his own life on hold the minute I needed him. My greatest dream was that one-day my family and me could all get together and become one family again. Then, some very evil men came and took this dream away from me. I came home from school to find my mother lying on her bed, strangled to death. The police called soon after and I learned that my father was also dead. And then, I got e-mail on this device I always carried and I learned that my brother was in danger too. There really was no choice to be made and I rushed off to save my brother. I was hopelessly overmatched though and watched helplessly as these bad men took away my greatest dream. I felt anger then, a rage that burned my soul but the Ishida's have never been about fire. That is more of a Yagami trait. No, we are ice. When angry, we become focused, painfully so, on our objective. That is how it was with me for three years. I hunted and brought down everybody responsible for the pain I felt. I tortured and killed my first person when I was fourteen. The first kill is always the hardest but afterwards you develop a taste. In any case, at the end, I stood in front of the one man that was responsible for the pain I felt. I wanted to torture him, make him scream but fate was against me and instead we only fought and I ended up killing him rather mercifully. That moment weighed heavily on me. Three years and I could not fulfill my hearts desire. I felt robbed of my revenge and there was an emptiness within me that would not go away. Or rather, I should say that it didn't go away until I learned about you. About someone masquerading as the one person I had looked up to since I was five." Takeru paused for a second.  
  
"I will be truthful; this is going to be very bad for you. I don't have much patience or mercy in me. The best you can do is answer my questions and maybe at the end, I'll let you walk away with your life."  
  
Again, the fearful glance around the room.  
  
"Let me guess, you're afraid of someone reaching out to you telepathically," Takeru said.  
  
Joshua nodded, his brow covered in sweat.  
  
"You don't need to worry. You see those two pretty ladies over there?" Takeru waited for Joshua to nod before continuing. "Well, they're running interference for you. You don't have to worry about any big bad thing coming to get you. All you have to worry about is getting a question wrong."  
  
"Why didn't you tell me that before?" Joshua asked fiercely.  
  
Takeru shook his head and backhanded Joshua almost casually. "I'll do the questioning around here." He looked at the back of his hand casually. "There's a certain pleasure to doing this with your hands. The pike is useful and all but you just don't get a hands on experience with it. For example, I once backhanded a guy with this pike and killed him prematurely. Anyways, answer the question."  
  
Joshua winced slowly licking the side of his mouth where a cut had opened up and was leaking blood. Takeru raised his hand and the boy cowered back. "Ok, I'll answer." He seemed to gather his thoughts. "Well firstly, we're all Americans, U.S army, part of the 24th infantry division. We were based in Fort Riley, Kansas. It all began with one of my friends Eliza. She was a junior technician at the base and was never far away from a computer. One night we met with our other friends and there was a distant look in her eyes. She told us about this piece of code that she'd found floating around the Internet. Being the geek she was, she worked on the thing day and night until she solved it. The code was a message that named the twelve of us and provided us with GPS coordinates to a hotel in Las Vegas. We had a one-week leave coming up and being somewhat curious, we went to this location ...... wait, no."  
  
Takeru whirled the pike and smashed it into Joshua's right elbow. He waited for the kid to stop his cries before saying; "You're taking too long to get to the point. I don't want your life history. I want names, dates, useful information."  
  
"I ...... I was getting to your question."  
  
The pike moved again and smashed into Joshua's left ankle. "You've never been through something like this, have you?" Takeru asked quizzically. "There's a time and a place for you to speak."  
  
"The man's name was Michael Kain."  
  
The little ball of light illuminating the room suddenly dimmed. The aura surrounding Sora and Hikari suddenly flared as they struggled to contain the invisible presence trying to force its way into the room.  
  
"I don't think we can hold this back," Sora grated.  
  
"I'll get Mimi." Tai said rushing out of the room.  
  
Hikari grunted suddenly as if absorbing a physical blow.  
  
"Noooo." Joshua moaned.  
  
"Oh shut up," Takeru said backhanding him casually. "This is nothing they can't handle."  
  
Sora staggered backwards, a trickle of blood leaking from the corner of her left eye.  
  
"Takeru," Hikari called out urgently, "we can't hold this much longer."  
  
Cursing himself for a fool, Takeru sprang forward. He had a method for helping them and he was standing around slack-jawed. Quickly, he grasped Hikari's shoulder and opened the conduits of his own power. She visibly relaxed under his hands as more power became available to her.  
  
Takeru fought to stay on his feet as he felt Hikari leach energy from his body. This was something that they had discovered only they could do, draw energy from one another. The result being that the person that served as the recipient had their power increase exponentially. The process had been instrumental in saving his life once before. This was only the second time they had attempted it in reverse. The sensation, just as it had been the first time, was disquieting. He had to relinquish complete control over his power and his being to Hikari and although he trusted her completely, there was still a part of him that shied away from ever showing vulnerability to anyone again.  
  
With a rush, he felt her shut down the connection between them and then his power was back in his control. He removed his hand from Hikari's shoulder and leaned heavily against the force pike to keep from sagging to the floor. Dimly, he became aware of Mimi's presence in the room.  
  
"Are you alright?" Sora asked looking at him, concern etched on her face.  
  
He glanced up at her, breathing heavily and gave a thumbs up sign. She grinned, "Hikari's leading whoever they were on a chase all over Tokyo."  
  
"They?" Takeru questioned.  
  
Sora nodded, glancing back at where Hikari was standing with her eyes closed. "Yeah, it was several presences rolled into one. At least half a dozen different people if I'm not mistaken. In any case, they caught us by surprise. Apparently, they were keyed in to that name he said." She pointed towards Joshua.  
  
Takeru looked towards the man, his eyes narrowing to slits. He straightened slowly, ignoring the aches in his joints and moved towards Joshua. "Now, this displeases me," he said icily. "You didn't mention anything of this sort."  
  
Joshua's eyes widened in fear, "But ......"  
  
The pike slammed into his left wrist, snapping it. Takeru quickly shoved the end of the pike into Joshua's mouth to keep him from screaming. "I've been patient with you thus far. But, you just put the lives of two people I care for in jeopardy. Now, start speaking because I'm beginning to get cranky and looking at this pale mockery of my brother's face makes me want to shove this pike straight through your head."  
  
The words came pouring forth after that. They had met with a man that had offered them everything they had ever wanted in exchange for killing the chosen. The twelve had been taken into the Digital World and had been altered. Their faces had been changed to fit those of the chosen and they had been imbued with all of their powers and techniques. The ultimate plan was to kill all the chosen and then infiltrate the Guardians. He had no idea where the plan led after that.  
  
When questioned about the state of the city, more interesting details came to light. There were three generators located throughout the city. They had been coded with the DNA of the chosen and that of their hunters. Basically, the devices had displaced the chosen in time, between one moment and the next. They existed in a state of timelessness at the moment. The generators had also been responsible for the strange lights Tai had seen over the city. In the absence of electricity, caused by the generators, they had been given devices that were capable of functioning in this time. However, Joshua had lost his while fighting Daisuke.  
  
Takeru and the others listened intently to the whole story. "Good," Takeru said after Joshua had finished. He quickly whirled the lance and drove it into Joshua's temple, knocking him out. "You guys go ahead," he said to the others. "I'll join you in a bit."  
  
Tai stared at him a moment, his eyes revealing his struggle at leaving Takeru alone with a man who he might decide to kill at a whim. In the end though, he nodded and ushered everybody except Hikari, who was still locked in a struggle with the other presences, out of the room. Takeru watched them leave then turned back to Joshua. His injuries weren't critical, Takeru had avoided hitting anything that would do major damage. He still didn't know why or even why he suddenly had the urge to heal this man. He just couldn't bring himself to hate the guy though. At least not in the way he had hated Sumeragi.  
  
With a sigh, Takeru knelt down and began to work on the wounds. It was painstaking work and by the time he got to the ankle, darkness had started to gather around the edges of his vision. Healing the shattered elbow had taken too much out of him. He was almost about to fall forward when two strong arms gripped his shoulders and steadied him. Almost immediately he felt power flowing into his body and he was able to heal the last wound.  
  
After he was done, he turned around tiredly. Hikari stared down wordlessly at him and after a moment straightened, stepping backwards. He struggled to his feet after a moment, his body screaming in pain.  
"You healed him." Hikari said quietly when he finally straightened.  
  
Takeru grunted. "I'm getting sentimental in my old age. There was a time when I wouldn't have thought twice about killing him." He started to walk/limp past Hikari when she suddenly reached out and grabbed his arm stopping him in his tracks.  
  
"It didn't work, you know," she said softly. "You can't push us away this easily."  
  
He stared down at her, his expression guarded. "I will just have to try harder in the future, then."  
  
That got to her.  
  
"Damn it, Takeru ......" She started angrily but he quickly held up a hand, halting her tirade. He was too tired to deal with the old argument at the moment. He wasn't even sure he'd be able to make it to the adjoining building on his own and Hikari didn't look to be in the best shape either.  
  
"Look, can we not do this right now," he said wearily. "I'm tired and I know you aren't faring any better even if you can hide it better then I can. We're both exhausted and we'll need our energy for what's coming up next. When all this ends, then you can scream at me till you're blue in the face but let's just let it go for now."  
  
Thankfully, she seemed receptive to the request. He could see the anger draining slowly from her eyes. "Fine," she said stepping backwards.  
  
He sighed as he watched her stand, back straight, her expression neutral. It was very much like her to not show any weakness in front of anybody. In the end, it was he who would always have to make the concession. Wordlessly, he limped forward and put an arm around her shoulders. Her own arms closed around his waist as she leaned against him and they started the trek to the building where the rest of the chosen were closeted.  
  
"So, what did you do with our psychic friends?" Takeru questioned as they left the museum and stepped outside.  
  
"Not much really. They were very inexperienced. I've got them chasing shadows all over the city."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Silence.  
  
"So, what's all this about?" Hikari asked. "I didn't hear much."  
  
Takeru chuckled. "We're facing the American Army. You know, 'be all you can be.'"  
  
"You're joking." Hikari said incredulously.  
  
"Nope, seems like our enemies are recruiting a bit off field."  
  
The rest of the walk was conducted in silence. They reached the office building where the rest of their friends were staying ten minutes after they had initially set out. Koushirou was keeping watch outside and he passed them through quickly.  
  
The main room of the building was littered with pallets on which several of the kids lay sleeping. A small ball of light hung in the room illuminating it with its soft light. The only one awake was Tai who ushered them over silently to his side.  
  
"About time," he said frowning. "I was about to come get you myself. I take it you've taken care of that group of psychics." He asked Hikari.  
  
"Yeah, they won't be bothering us anytime soon," she replied.  
  
Tai nodded. "Very good. I've sent out Daisuke, Ken and Iori to the sites Joshua told us about. We'll decide what to do when we've got some solid recon." He glanced towards Takeru. "What do you think of the relative ability of these guys?"  
  
"They're amateurs," Takeru said frankly. "Their ambush was planned well but the follow-up was lacking. They thought to separate us and hunt us down but I don't think they ever took into account that we'd have a plan for this exact type of situation. And that's not even mentioning that our prisoner broke a bit too easily. I was half disappointed."  
  
"Sora and I think the same thing," Tai said. "What is puzzling though is why they got amateurs to do this?"  
  
"I don't think they had much choice." Hikari broke in. "People with more experience would naturally be a lot more hesitant to just jump at an offer like this and they would question the motives. No, they needed people that were easily duped and would be accepting to their ways fairly quickly. Furthermore, whatever training they underwent required learning new skills and it is a lot harder to teach those to people that are already set in their ways."  
  
"I'm not sure I buy some of that," Tai responded thinking over what Hikari had said. "If they really wanted us out of the way, they would have made the effort to recruit better people."  
  
"Unless all of these doubles are just meant to be diversions." Takeru said thoughtfully. "Remember, Joshua was just thrown out to tick us off. I think they were hoping that we'd get angry and make a mistake, which doesn't really show that they had much faith in succeeding with this particular gambit. I think there's something more in the works here."  
  
Tai sighed. "Well, in any event, we'll know more when the others get back." He stared critically at the teens standing before him. "Get some rest, you two. You look like hell. Your pallets are set up in the corner." He waved vaguely over to the upper left corner of the room.  
  
Takeru and Hikari shared a mutual smile at the awkward dismissal and made their way over to the corner of the room. Takeru stiffened upon seeing the arrangements. Somebody with a sick sense of humor had put the two pallets extremely close to each other. This wouldn't do especially not tonight. He vaguely noticed that Hikari had paused beside him as well.  
  
"Well, this is quite the predicament," she said quizzically.  
  
"I'll go find some other place." Takeru replied stiffly.  
  
"Don't be a fool. You're ready to collapse and as you can see, there's very little space anywhere else."  
  
"I'll go outside." He started to walk away but she held on to him, keeping him in place.  
  
"What are you so afraid of? We're both adults here."  
  
Takeru sighed. 'Why could it never be easy?' "Fine," he mumbled softly. "Just stay on your side and don't come near me." This time when he started forward, she did not stop him.  
  
He lay down on the thin white blanket and closed his eyes. A moment later, Hikari settled in behind him. He could feel her near his back though and knew she would notice what was inevitably going to happen.  
  
The tremors started minutes later. He tried to control them but failed like he had always failed. This was a constant source of disappointment to him. How, after each interrogation, he had always started trembling like this. It had been necessary and he had no regrets about what he'd done but something deep down inside him had never learned to accept what he'd become. All these years and he still had the heart of a scared five year old boy. Mentally, he cursed at himself to regain control but it was no use. He only hoped Hikari would keep her distance. That hope was quickly shattered.  
  
Hikari's hand was suddenly on his shoulder. "What's wrong?" She whispered quietly.  
  
He didn't respond, hoping that she would go away. But, like always, he was wrong in predicting what she would do.  
  
Two arms snaked around him, holding him close. Astonishingly, it seemed to help. He gradually stopped shuddering and relaxed against her as she held him. He would think back later and regard the moment as rather symbolic.  
  
"What was that?" She asked again.  
  
He didn't respond. How could he explain his weakness to her? Instead, he just clasped her hands, lacing his fingers through hers and murmured softly, "Please, don't let go."  
  
Her grip tightened and he felt strangely reassured. His mind was screaming at him to make her let go but he was too tired to care. He didn't want to spend one more wake-less night overcome by this trembling. He had left that behind three years ago and besides she was still his friend. Surely he wasn't wrong in looking for a little comfort.  
  
He was almost asleep when she whispered something in his ear.  
  
"You forgot one thing Takeru. Fire can melt ice."  
  
His last fading thought before darkness claimed him was, 'why hadn't it worked?'  
  
_________________________  
  
Tai watched as Hikari and Takeru retreated to a corner, saw the intermittent argument and then watched in astonishment as Takeru sank down into his pallet. Hikari joined him seconds later. Honestly, he didn't know why his little sister kept trying when it only earned her heartache in return. Sighing softly, he made his way over to his pallet. Beside it was Sora's sleeping form. He sat down beside her gently brushing a stray lock of hair from her face.  
  
Invariably his thoughts started down another path culminating in the one place he had avoided thinking about for over two years, Yamato's death. It had begun earlier then that though. When Yamato and Sora had started dating, it had cut through him. For two years he had seen them become closer and closer and he had known that the girl he had fallen in love with was lost to him. And then, Yamato had been killed. He still remembered that day. Sora, hunched over Yamato's body, crying; Takeru staring sightlessly into space, Iori and Hikari beside him; Mimi and Miyako crying on Jyou's and Ken's shoulders respectively; the rest of the chosen milling around outside the edges unsure of what to do. And there he stood, in the middle of it all watching Sora cry brokenly. Suddenly, a tiny voice had whispered that he could have her now, that his only competition was gone forever. He had quelled that thought instantaneously but it had been a constant mar on his relationship with Sora.  
  
Tai looked down at her sleeping form. She was so beautiful.  
  
"Enjoying the view." The wry amused voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Sora opened her eyes and looked up at him, smiling faintly.  
  
He grinned back. "I thought you were asleep. You should be asleep."  
  
Of course, that made her sit up. "You should be asleep too. What's on your mind?"  
  
"Oh this and that." Tai frowned. "You really should get some rest. I excluded you from the watch tonight because of the mental exertion you went through."  
  
She leaned against his shoulder. "Don't worry about that. Hikari took the worst of it. She's got some deep reserves." She was quiet a moment. "So, what were you thinking about?" She asked again.  
  
"Many things," Tai replied. "Tell me, have you thought about the future?"  
  
"Yeah," Sora answered gloomily. "Not a promising prospect, is it? I had so many dreams when I was young. It kills me that none of them are ever likely to come true." Suddenly her voice took on an amused tone. "Well, except maybe one."  
  
Tai's ears perked up. "Really?" He asked. "I would have thought that after all the trouble we faced with the Government and now living under fake names set up for us by the Guardian's, all of your previous dreams would be unattainable. I know mine are except for ...... oh."  
  
Sora chuckled quietly. "It's always amusing to hear the gears literally turning in your head."  
  
Tai scowled and grabbed her in a headlock, ruffling her hair. Sora giggled softly and they both fell into a comfortable contemplative silence.  
  
"I missed you," Tai said finally.  
"I missed you too. Six months is too long."  
  
"I know." Tai hesitated a moment. "I ...... I wanted to give you something tonight. Then all this came up and we haven't really had a chance to talk until now."  
  
Sora looked up at him, her eyes glinting mischievously. "I know what you're going to ask."  
  
"What? How?" Tai looked down at her with a pole-axed expression.  
  
"Oh, a girl has her ways."  
  
"You're beginning to sound like Mimi."  
  
Sora suddenly surged up capturing his lips with hers. The kiss was urgent, forceful and entirely like her. It left him breathless. She leaned back, eyes twinkling.  
  
"So, when do you plan to show it to me?"  
  
Tai visibly struggled to regain his senses, then wordlessly reached inside his pocket, removed a small box and thrust it at her. Sora opened the box, staring at the contents inside, a small smile playing upon her lips.  
  
"Well?"  
  
Her eyes widened. Did her ears deceive her? Did Taichi Yagami sound unsure of himself? Did he actually think that she would say no? She looked up and saw that his hands were clenched at his sides and he was looking away. Sora grabbed his chin turned him firmly to face her and said yes. ________________________________________________________________________  
  
Next: The Digidestined finally make their move against the doppelgangers but will it cost someone their life. 


	5. Chapter 5

Midnight Blossoms  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.  
  
______________________________________________________________________  
  
A/N: Here it is, after a massive rewrite, chapter 5. I was able to have this out in my new target two week date because of the inspiring reviews of Dark Light and Cracker. Thankyou both for taking the time to actually critique my work a bit. As for your questions, Dark Light:  
  
Yes, Takeru's force pike is based on the weapon used by the Rangers in Babylon Five. I was debating on whether to call it a force lance like in Andromeda but then decided to go with what I'd seen first. Still, if there's any typo referring to it as a lance, you'll know why that typo is there.  
  
There will be a sequel to this story. Actually, the way I'm planning it there will be several sequels. If you have any questions about the plot I'm aiming for, e-mail me at the e-mail address on my fanfiction.net page. I'm extremely open to sharing ideas.  
  
The Guardians and Renegade Guardians are both groups I made up. It occurred to me that Gennai and his ilk were never given proper names and I came up with those names to identify them. Of course, I also put in several other aspects that I won't discuss fully until the sequel.  
  
Finally, about Hikari's character. One of the things I attempted to do when writing this fic was to work on several of my weaknesses. I really wanted to write a strong female character but had never succeeded in any of my prior works. I still don't know if I've succeeded. I'll leave that for you guys to judge after reading the Epilogue, which should be up by Sunday. After that, I should have chapter one of the sequel, the Final Battle, up by next week.  
  
Once again, thanks to everybody for the reviews and I'll try to work on my descriptions. That's another one of my weaknesses that needs work. And now, without further adieu: ______________________________________________________________________  
  
'The thing was on the damned Tokyo Tower.' Lowering his binoculars, Daisuke looked down at Veemon.  
  
"You sure you're up for this, buddy."  
  
His partner's face took on a stubborn cast that he knew all too well. "Yes Daisuke, I'm fine. Ken healed me, remember."  
  
"I know but bio-merging takes so much out of us. Are you sure?"  
  
Veemon nodded. "I'm sure."  
  
"Alright then," Daisuke said taking off his jacket, sweatshirt and t- shirt. "Let's do this and hurry up cause I'm freezing out here."  
  
Veemon closed his eyes and moments later his body began to break up into flakes of data. The individual flakes coalesced around Daisuke and entered his body through his mouth and nose. He stiffened, as his body was flooded with power. The whole process took thirty seconds and at the end he felt invigorated. It was always like this after he merged with Veemon, all of his senses augmented, his reflexes quicker. The sensation was dangerously addictive though. It enticed him to stay like this forever and therein lay the danger. He was not chosen and therefore did not possess the intrinsic powers that safe guarded his body. The best he could do was last one hour before his body started being racked with increasing pain.  
  
Daisuke concentrated, and his body began morphing. His hands sharpened into talons and there was an audible rip as his feet expanded into sharp claws that tore through his shoes. He groaned inwardly at that, he always forgot about the damn shoes. At the end of his transformation, he stood over seven feet tall and resembled a Gargoyle. A pair of leathery wings unfurled from his back and he leapt off the roof of the building he was standing on and made his way to the Tower.  
  
__________________________________  
  
"We should be out hunting. Why are we standing guard over this hunk of metal?"  
  
"Stuff it Tiffany. Roy gave this order himself. Until we hear otherwise, we stand guard here."  
  
"You follow him too blindly sometimes. Your friend messed this up Jack."  
  
Jack sighed. "None of this feels right. We were only given the barest amount of details and they were supposed to be just a bunch of punk kids. Punk kids with power mind you but it should have been easy."  
  
Covered by a deep swathe of shadows, Ken smirked. It seemed that the trouble in the ranks was spreading. It only reaffirmed what he had thought all along, these guys were amateurs. They had no experience to speak of and their loyalties were divided. Not to mention that the guard they had set to patrol their perimeter was woefully inadequate. Furthermore, he was on the same rooftop with them, practically within spitting distance and they hadn't noticed him.  
  
Casting one last look at the Mimi and Daisuke impersonators and at his surroundings, Ken slid backwards until he was at the edge of the roof. Unfurling his wings from around his body he rose silently into the air and made his way back to the shrine.  
  
____________________________  
  
Iori was on his way back to the shrine when he sensed something. Motioning Armadillomon to hide himself, he ducked into a side alley that provided him with the cover he needed. Draping himself in darkness, he observed the relatively empty street. Only, it wasn't going to stay empty for long. He had a feeling and had, over the years, learned to trust his senses. Moments later, he saw a particularly dark portion of shadow move across the street. A small, dark shape stepped out into the light, looked around carefully and then started scuttling on its way. Iori's mouth dropped open, he could not have seen what he'd just seen.  
  
His partner was suddenly beside him. "Was that a ....."  
  
"Yes," Iori nodded. "I think this whole thing just took on a decidedly more sinister aspect."  
  
"Do we follow?"  
  
"Of course, Tai and the others will definitely want to know about this."  
  
___________________________  
  
"Hello, my name is Takeru. What are you doing here all alone in the rain."  
  
Four-year-old Hikari Yagami looked up to see a small blonde haired boy standing over her with an umbrella. He was wearing the ugliest looking hat she'd ever seen. She shivered slightly from the cold wrapping her arms tightly around herself.  
  
"I'm waiting for my big brother, Tai," she said quietly.  
  
The boy sat down beside her, holding his umbrella over her head. "Do you mind if I sit with you. I'm waiting for my big brother too."  
  
"I don't mind but my momma told me not to talk to strangers."  
  
The boy, Takeru, thought about that and then suddenly grinned. "Well, you know my name so I can't be a stranger, can I?"  
  
That didn't sound right to Hikari but she stayed silent. He had an umbrella and was willing to share. She didn't want to be anymore wet then she already was. Beside her, the boy started chattering away.  
  
"My mom told me not to talk to strangers either but I don't know if she said anything about helping strangers and besides you don't look as scary as my mom said strangers would be and hey, you're shivering, take my jacket ... no no, I don't mind, it's cold and you look like you're about to catch a fever and besides you're supposed to give a girl your jacket, I saw that on a show somewhere and besides I have a sweater and I won't be as cold as you and did you see that cartoon last week about the ......"  
  
She could barely get a word in edgewise as he continued chattering. At one point she began to wonder whether he was talking just for the sake of talking. Still, his jacket was warm and she was too tired to talk in any case. She could feel herself falling asleep, lulled by his voice when suddenly a voice called out the boy's name. A taller version of the boy sitting next to her appeared, running up to them.  
  
"There you are," he began angrily. "I've been looking everywhere for you. Why did you run off like that?"  
  
Hikari stirred when she heard that. "I thought you said you were waiting for your brother." She spoke quietly.  
  
"Hey Yama," the boy said ignoring her. "We were playing hide and seek remember. You were supposed to find me."  
  
"We weren't playing hide and seek," the taller boy replied glaring down at his younger reflection.  
  
"Yes we were," Takeru replied brightly.  
  
"No we weren't."  
  
"Yes we were."  
  
"No we weren't."  
  
"Yes we were."  
  
"No we ...... Aaaarrrrggghhhh ...... I'm not gonna argue with you anymore. Just get your things and let's go. Mom is going to kill us for being so late."  
  
Takeru shook his head stubbornly. "I can't leave yet, Yama." He thumbed in her direction. "She stayed with me to wait for you so it's only fair I stay with her to wait for her brother."  
  
"No, it's ok," she said. "I'm sure my brother will be here any minute. You two shouldn't stay because of me."  
  
The older boy was now staring at her for the first time with something close to concern in his azure colored eyes. "How old are you?"  
  
"She's four years old." Takeru chirped from beside her.  
  
She stared at him in surprise. "How did you know that?"  
  
He looked suddenly unsure, his eyes darkening a bit. They brightened as quickly as they had darkened. "I guessed," he exclaimed as if it was the most logical explanation in the world.  
  
"Do you know the way to your home from here?" The older boy asked her.  
  
"No, my brother brought me. Please, you two don't have to stay because of me, especially if you'll get in trouble with your mom. I'm sure my brother will be here any minute."  
  
Both boys ignored her, which was slightly irritating. It reminded her of her parents and Tai who would usually ignore her because they thought they knew what was best for her. It irritated her, feeling helpless.  
  
"What about your phone number?" The older boy questioned.  
  
She gave him her number and he made the call after tracking down a pay phone. They waited with her, the one brother bright and cheerful and endlessly talking and the other quiet and introspective. Her parents arrived fifteen minutes later and thanked the older boy, Yamato, for looking after her. She ended up taking the younger brother's jacket and was not able to return it until two months later when she saw him again in first grade. He had changed though and was no longer the bright cheerful boy that had endlessly chattered about everything. His eyes were much sadder and it took her a while to learn that his parents had divorced.  
  
Nineteen-year-old Hikari Yagami smiled wistfully at the memories. Stepping out of the scene, she walked the hallway of her memories. There were many doors here and she had time for the moment. She had set up wards so that she would be warned if Takeru stirred awake beside her. Continuing on her way, she came to another door, opened it and stepped inside.  
  
______________________________  
  
Iori Hida crouched in the shadows of the rooftop, watching the scene below him intently. He was trying to commit everything to memory. Tai would want to know all the details. So, he watched, mentally drawing a picture of the event in his mind.  
  
Across from him stretched a broad intersection which was astonishingly enough, easily defensible. Furthermore, there were a lot of security patrols around this place and he had had to be extremely careful not to alert them. It all contrasted highly with the relatively lax security of the generator sites.  
  
In the middle of the intersection, something was being built. Scores of tiny black creatures that Iori recognized as Scubamon were constructing a giant ring. They had already made the base for the ring and were now nimbly scuttling back and forth along the sides of the ring adding more and more pieces every second. The base was pure cement but the ring itself was not being made using any metal he recognized. It was black as night but had been scribed with runes which were giving off their own strange light.  
  
The construction was being overseen by Hikari and Takeru's doppelgangers. There was no other double in site and Iori made sure to check his surroundings thoroughly to see if there was anything he'd missed. Ascertaining that he had not, he slid back into the shadows and left.  
  
__________________________ 8 hours after the end of Chapter 4  
  
"Scubamon?" Miyako blinked. "Are you sure?"  
  
Iori nodded glancing around the small office room. The entire gang was gathered there minus Hikari and Takeru who were still asleep.  
  
"Yeah, there was no mistaking it. I've seen them enough times to recognize them. And at the rate they were going, I give them another two hours before they're finished."  
  
Sora sighed. "Well, we had to know that the seals we put on the Dark Ocean would not last forever. Still, I would have wished for them to last a little longer."  
  
"There's still the question of why we didn't get a warning." Koushirou said. "The Guardians were keeping watch over that situation. We should have been warned that the seals were slipping."  
  
"They could have been infiltrated." Mimi spoke up from beside Jyou. "This wouldn't be the first time it has happened."  
  
Daisuke nodded thoughtfully. "Makes sense but what concerns me is that to set up something like that, it would have to be in the works for a long time. And they would have had to infiltrate the Guardians pretty deeply. I thought Gennai took precautions since Sumeragi went rogue."  
  
"We all know that despite the precautions, the Undersea Master has too many resources to just give up." Jyou replied. "Personally, I'm surprised it has taken this long for him to get loose." He turned towards Ken who was leaning against a sidewall. "What do you think, Ken? Out of all of us, excepting Hikari and maybe Takeru, you've had the most experience with this world and its master."  
  
Ken, who had been quiet thus far, looked up. "I agree with you and Sora. Part of me has been wondering and dreading the arrival of this day."  
  
There was silence after that, everybody waiting for Tai to issue in with his verdict. The presence of the Dark Ocean amidst the current crisis complicated an already strange situation. Furthermore, with the Undersea Masters involvement, there was a certain degree of subtlety that needed to be taken into account. It was very likely that this current situation went far beyond a mere power play to bring down the chosen.  
  
"We can't do anything except for going after the generators at the moment." Tai said finally. "The best we can do about this fourth site is to set up recon and see what happens. When we're all back in our time, maybe the Guardians can tell us what exactly is being built. Now, how are we for supplies?"  
  
"Pretty good," Jyou replied. "Daisuke and Ken managed to get to some of the various stashes we've set up throughout the city. We're pretty much covered in terms of equipment."  
  
"Good," Tai said looking around the room. "You all know your teams. Suit up and take those red armbands Hikari got from the boutique. It'll be an easy way of telling who's who if there's any confusion with the doubles. Oh and Sora, stay behind for a moment. I need to talk to you."  
  
Everybody nodded and began to file out of the room. "What about the prisoner?" Jyou asked suddenly. "Do we just leave him where he is?"  
  
"I don't see why not," Tai said after a moment of consideration. "When we've destroyed the generators, he'll appear back in the real world and the police will deal with him."  
  
"All right," Jyou replied, ushering the others out of the room.  
  
When everybody had left Tai turned towards Sora. "I need you to put me through to Hikari. I tried to wake her up but it didn't work. She's probably cluttering around in her mind."  
  
Sora nodded. "All right, but I won't be able to hold the contact for long. You should just tell me what you want her to know and I'll relay your orders."  
  
Tai shook his head. "No, I need to talk to her about one other thing."  
  
"Ok, but just remember, she's a big girl. She can take care of herself and she is probably not going to like what you're going to say."  
  
Tai scowled. "Stop reading my mind."  
  
"It's not very hard when your emotions are written upon your face." Sora sighed. "I know you have her best interests at heart but I don't think this is one aspect of her life where she'll take your butting in graciously."  
  
"Just put me through."  
  
______________________________  
  
They were sitting at a table in a restaurant in the real world. He had asked her to come here for some strange reason.  
  
"I can't do this anymore Hikari." Fourteen-year-old Daisuke looked at her with a strangely solemn expression on his face.  
  
"What brought this on?" She asked puzzled. It was unusual for Daisuke to sound so unsure of himself.  
  
Daisuke looked away in shame. "I ...... I froze Hikari and it allowed Daemon to escape with Ken."  
  
"That's one reason." She took a sip from the cup she was holding, her eyes never leaving his. "What's the rest of it?"  
  
Daisuke sighed. "I don't know, well actually, I suppose I do but I thought I could move on. This past year, everything has just spiraled out of control. I'm supposed to be your leader but I couldn't even protect Takeru and now he's out there, god knows where, when he should be here helping us with Daemon. It doesn't help that Iori has gotten more distant since his loss. He was always a bit distant but with Takeru gone, it is much worse. It is affecting our morale and I don't know what to do about it. Somehow, I don't think Iori will respond well to the usual 'straighten up and fly right routine.' And then there is this whole thing with Daemon. I just don't feel in control anymore Hikari and while I liked the responsibility at one time, it has long since become a burden. So, I want you to take over leadership of our team."  
  
"What happened with Takeru was not your fault, Daisuke. You shouldn't beat yourself up over it. It could have happened to any one of us."  
  
"Yeah, but it happened to him," Daisuke said bitterly. "I keep going over that day in my mind and I did nothing to help him. Not even one word of comfort."  
  
"We were all shell shocked Daisuke? You're putting too much pressure on yourself."  
  
"Be that as it may, I've made up my decision. I'm handing over leadership to you."  
  
"Why me?" She questioned taking another sip from her cup.  
  
"Oh come on, what other choices did I have. Miyako, as much as I love her, isn't exactly leadership material. Iori is too ...... quiet and Ken still hasn't fully come to terms with himself." Daisuke suddenly smirked. "Besides, you're practically co-leader anyway with all the ways you try to manipulate my decisions from behind the scenes."  
  
That caused her to blush. She hadn't known that he would see through to her so easily. It did not pay to underestimate Daisuke anymore. All of them had grown during their adventures but while she and the others seemed to have only grown into what they were already becoming, Daisuke had actually changed. He was no longer the brash young kid he had been.  
  
"All right, I will accept but what about you? Where do you stand in all this?"  
  
"On the sidelines." Daisuke looked at her, his expression serious. "I wasn't kidding around when I said I don't want the responsibility anymore. I will venture opinions and all when asked but I'm through with leadership."  
  
She nodded, "I will respect that ......"  
  
There was a disturbance in her mind and Hikari exited the scene and entered the main room of her mind. It was shaped much like an office with doors ringing the sides. She sat up on her desk just as Tai's image flickered into being. She leant her own powers to the task and provided a stable bridge for the thought signal to cross. It was hard, especially when a third person was involved and she could only hold the bridge for a limited period of time.  
  
"Hikari," Tai said by way of greeting as he entered her mind. "Why haven't you woken up yet?"  
  
"I was awake but couldn't pry my hands away from Takeru. He's got a death grip on them. I think he'll be out for a little while longer. He really exhausted himself yesterday."  
  
Tai nodded. "Ok, the rest of us are heading out for the generator sites. Daisuke and the others returned a while ago with recon. Iori happened upon something else that you might find interesting. It seems that the Dark Ocean is back."  
  
Hikari sighed. "Well, it had to happen sooner or later. What do you want Takeru and I to do."  
  
"I want you both to go to the site. Apparently, there's a giant ring being constructed there. I've marked the location on a map I will leave for you in the main office. Don't engage any enemies, just watch for anything suspicious and contact us the moment you discover what the purpose of that site is. I don't know what it is but I have a feeling that this site is far more important in the long term then the generators."  
  
"Ok," her eyes suddenly hardened. "Now, what else did you want to talk about."  
  
"Does there have to be something else?"  
  
"Yes, otherwise you would have just sent Sora."  
  
He sighed softly. "Are you sure about what you're doing? He will just push you away in the end."  
  
"Would you let it go if it was Sora?"  
  
And there it was, that eternal question she always asked whenever he brought up Takeru. It didn't help that he had never found a satisfactory answer to the question. How did you answer something that you prayed would never happen?  
  
"He is one of your oldest friends, Hikari." Tai paused to choose his words carefully. "And you obviously have feelings for him but are you sure he returns them? I know there was once a time that there would be no doubt about that but he has changed and by his own admissions last night, it isn't for the better."  
  
Hikari sighed softly. "I have reason to believe that he hasn't completely changed and he is still my friend if nothing else. I won't give up on him even if you and the others already have."  
  
Tai looked at her reproachfully. "You know us better then that. You and Sora are the only ones he acknowledges but he still has friends. You only have to look at how that vote turned out last night. And even the half that voted against him were probably just bored with waiting. We still care but his constant attempts to push us away aren't helping."  
  
"I know," Hikari replied hesitantly. "What do you want me to do Tai?"  
  
"I suppose nothing more then what you are already doing. Just please, don't set yourself up for disappointment again."  
  
"I'm not the naïve girl I used to be, Tai, but like I said, he is still my friend."  
  
"All right then, for your sake and his, I hope you're successful." His tone didn't sound as sure as the sentiment in his words. His image flickered suddenly. "Uh oh, that's my cue."  
  
Hikari collapsed the bridge linking her mind with his and he vanished. Sighing, she sat at the desk and thought for a long time. Abruptly, there came a stirring along her wards and she knew that Takeru was awakening. Closing her eyes, she stepped out into her real body. Opening her eyes, she stared right into a thick wad of straw yellow hair. Apparently, she had buried her face in the back of his head. Her body was tightly pressed against Takeru's back and her arms were twined around his chest. He had laced his own fingers through her hands and held them in a vice like grip. She had awoken earlier and had been unable to shake herself free. Now, the pressure on her hands gradually lessened as he woke up ...... and stiffened, letting go of her hands immediately. He lay still for a moment as she withdrew her hands and then wordlessly rose to his feet. She followed after him.  
  
"Where are the others?" He asked, his eyes darting over the room, avoiding contact with her own.  
  
"They've left for the generator sites." She explained about the fourth site ending off with what Tai had asked them to do.  
  
He started off for the main office. "I'll get the map," he called back over his shoulder. "You get our supplies."  
  
Moments later they were off for the last site, a full thirty minutes after the other chosen had left.  
  
______________________________  
  
"You realize this is all our fault." Patamon muttered from atop Takeru's head. The pair stood swathed in shadows gazing down from a rooftop, at the giant ring that was nearing completion.  
  
"I know. We must have messed up the wards somehow when we left the Dark Ocean." Takeru tilted his eyes up. "Hopefully, this situation is fixable."  
  
There was a flicker of motion and then Gatomon was standing beside them.  
  
"That thing makes me uneasy," she said gazing down at the construction site.  
  
"That's because you're a cat. Cats are antsy about everything." Patamon chirped.  
  
"Keep talking like that and you're liable to get your wings clipped."  
  
"Hah, you and what army."  
  
"Don't need one. I saw what that clone did to you. I imagine I could do worse."  
  
Patamon flapped his wings dismissively. "That clone got lucky and surprised me."  
  
"Yeah yeah, hindsight is twenty twenty."  
  
"You really have been spending too much time among humans."  
  
"Why you little ......"  
  
"Children," Takeru mumbled softly, "behave." Both digimon grunted sorely at that but stayed quiet. Raising the binoculars that hung around his neck to his eyes, he studied the site more closely. A little way away from the ring stood his and Hikari's doubles. They looked rather bored with the whole thing. 'There might be an opportunity there,' Takeru thought to himself.  
  
A slight scuffing sound from behind alerted them to Hikari's arrival. "The West side is crawling with Scubamon," she spoke walking forward. "Security is tight around this place."  
  
"Meaning that whatever is going to happen, is going to happen here." Takeru muttered lowering the binoculars. "Tai and the others were a bit rash attacking the generator sites without first learning what all this was about, don't you think?"  
  
"Not quite," Hikari responded. "We have no idea when this thing is going to be finished and if we wait, the problem may become too big for us to handle. At least in our own time, we'll have more support and will be able to learn just what this is," she indicated the ring, "and its purpose."  
  
Takeru grunted at that but didn't say anything else. Silence stretched out between them, thick, dark, oppressive. Both stood quietly on the rooftop being driven further and further apart.  
  
"Listen Takeru ......"  
  
"It meant nothing," he rasped harshly. "I don't want to talk about it."  
  
Hikari sighed softly. "Actually, I was going to mention that we should try and get a closer look at that ring."  
  
There was a moment of silence and then, "You want us to replace our doubles?" He asked quietly.  
  
"That's the general idea, yes."  
  
"What about their digimon? They will pick up our scent."  
  
"They aren't down there with them," Hikari said. "There was a Gatomon patrolling the West side."  
  
"I barely avoided my own double on the South side," Patamon said softly.  
  
Takeru considered that for a moment. "Too risky," he said finally. "They could return any moment."  
  
"There may be a way." Gatomon spoke up. "In our bio-merge forms, we can adjust your scent so that it will seem to them that another Patamon and Gatomon are standing in front of them. The confusion should buy us a few minutes if it does come down to it."  
  
"The Scubamon?"  
  
"I don't think they're paying much attention to the two."  
  
Which was true as far as he could see. "All right then, work on the guy," Takeru said raising the binoculars back to his eyes. "The girl's got your psy-powers and may detect you."  
  
Hikari nodded and closed her eyes in concentration. Takeru watched as down below on the street, his double cast an inconspicuous glance at the girl standing next to him. Gradually, the stares became more and more candid until finally, the boy's hands leapt forward groping at the girl. To her credit, the girl struck out with a fist that sent the boy sprawling. He managed to scissor her legs though and pulled her atop him. After a few moments of fondling and groping, the girl pushed off the boy, breathing heavily. The boy rose as well and grabbed her hand, pulling her firmly towards a shadow filled, secluded corner.  
  
"I'll take it from here." Takeru gestured wordlessly towards Patamon and moments later they were bio-merged. "Follow after me in three minutes," he said to her, taking off his jacket. Two white wings suddenly burst from his upper back. "I won't be long." And with that, he flapped his wings and took off towards the spot where their two doubles were ...... expressing their love.  
  
Starting a measured count, Hikari took up the fallen binoculars and watched as Takeru paused above the spot and then dipping his wings, started descending. There was stillness and she found that she was holding her breath. If even one of the doubles were able to raise an alarm, things would go seriously wrong.  
  
When Hikari reached a count of two minutes, she turned towards Gatomon and initiated her own bio-merge. Flapping her own wings furiously, she made her way towards the spot where Takeru had landed. She found him standing over the bodies of the two doubles.  
  
"On the whole, this was rather easy," he remarked quietly watching her descend.  
  
Hikari landed lightly on her feet, retracting her wings into her body and studied the doubles more closely. Thankfully, he hadn't killed either of them, only knocked them out and tied them up. Where had he gotten the rope? Turning her attention back towards Takeru, she flattened him with a right hook that sent him stumbling against the far wall. Grabbing his collars, she pulled him face to face.  
  
"If you ever act again without waiting for my orders, I'll do much worse." She couldn't tell in the near darkness, but was he rolling his eyes at her?  
  
"Good idea actually," he whispered back. "She punched him too." Shrugging out of her grip, he started towards the intersection, his wings retreating back into his body. "Come on, we don't want to stay too long."  
  
Hikari started after him wordlessly. She observed the ring as they got closer. The runes engraved in the metal of the thing were unrecognizable but were giving off their own strange glow. The Scubamon were nearly finished with the thing and likely would need only another five minutes to complete the circle. As they approached the spot where their doubles had been standing, a white slit of light opened up in the air.  
  
"How's your English?" Takeru hissed at her.  
  
Hikari shook her head. "Pretty rusty."  
  
"Let me handle this then." He suddenly smirked at her and she saw a glimmer of her old friend in the eyes of this new Takeru. "Just stand there and look pretty."  
  
She had forgotten how irritating he could be. Repressing the urge to smack him upside the head, she nodded mutely and turned her attention back to the rapidly forming portal. A man with long blonde hair, which was tied back by a simple red ribbon, strode through after the slit had expanded sizably. He was dressed in a simple gray business suit.  
  
"How is everything proceeding?" The man asked studying the site around him.  
  
"According to plan." Takeru replied in a voice that was different from his own. The art to deception was keeping explanations simple. Still, the inevitable question was next.  
  
"Details please, you two were chosen because you are the two brightest among your team."  
  
"Joshua Briggs has been captured by the Chosen, the others are at their posts and we've been standing guard here as instructed. Can't get more detailed then that."  
  
Hikari's voice suddenly sounded in his mind. 'How did you know what your double sounded like?' It took all her willpower not to blush at the mental image he sent back.  
  
The man nodded, oblivious of the hidden exchange. "Very good, I bet you two are curious as to what you're doing here."  
  
Takeru and Hikari exchanged looks and then mutely nodded.  
  
"Well firstly," the man turned towards Hikari, "how did the ambush we planned for young Takeru go?"  
  
"She lost him," Takeru interjected. "All she managed was a light injury."  
  
A light smirk touched the man's face. "Well, at least that was something. I didn't expect that particular gambit to succeed anyway." After a moment of silence, he turned towards Hikari. "What? No angry rejoinders, my dear."  
  
Wordlessly, Hikari stuck out her middle finger. The smirk on the man's face widened into a grin. "That's more like it. Anyway, you two are here because by now you've taken in the layout of this city and surrounding areas as you were instructed to do. That knowledge will serve you well for your new assignment."  
  
Behind the man, one lone Scubamon crawled up the side of the ring and attached a final piece onto it. The runes on the ring suddenly began glowing brighter and seemed to move across the surface, making it appear as if the ring was rotating. Within the ring itself, a portal began to form. Gradually, it revealed a scene that was horrifying to both of the Chosen. First came a dark horizon, then an endless ocean and a sky filled with unnaturally fast moving clouds. As the portal widened, the true depth of the horror became apparent. There was an army of dark Digimon amassed on a lone beach. Every single virus type was there as well as a few creatures neither Hikari nor Takeru had ever seen before. It was an army of invasion.  
  
"Digimon are fiercely loyal but not very many of them possess leadership qualities. You two will be first among our Generals. As soon as the Chosen destroy our generators, this portal and the army will appear in real time. You will lead it into a takeover of Tokyo. There are also special positions you need to hit." The man pulled a rolled up map out of his suit. "You can expect opposition from the Guardians but if you strike quickly at the marked locations on this map, you should be able to crush them before they become too much of a nuisance."  
  
"We should really take him out now." Hikari said turning towards Takeru.  
  
"You must still be smarting over that 'angry rejoinder' remark." He motioned towards the man whose eyes were slowly widening in alarm. "Be my guest."  
  
Hikari rushed forward her arms blurring into punches. There was an attempt to fight back but the man was hopelessly overmatched. Takeru turned towards the crowding Scubamon that were attempting to mount their own attack. A blast of energy from his hands sent them scattering. He turned back to watch Hikari standing over the motionless body of their guest.  
  
"Contact the rest of the team and tell them to stop their attack." Takeru motioned towards the portal. "I'll take a closer look at that." Without waiting for her reply he started forward. From what he remembered reading about portals at the main Guardian Library, there was no way to stop this thing from opening and physical force would not work if the metal was what he thought it was. There was only one way to destroy this and it seemed his chance had come at last.  
  
"I've informed them," Hikari said walking up behind him. "Do you know how to stop this thing from opening because we can't stop that," she indicated the ranks upon ranks of dark Digimon which were now visible in the portal.  
  
"We can't destroy it." Takeru replied, working through his thoughts. The metal is Zionium and is pretty much indestructible. However, the two sides of the portal aren't connected yet. I can destroy it from the inside."  
  
"How long do we have before both sides are connected?"  
  
"A portal of this size, probably about ten minutes left."  
  
"Let's go then," Hikari said stepping towards the portal. He grabbed her arm, keeping her in place.  
  
"You should stay here. I can handle this by myself."  
  
Something briefly flickered in his cerulean eyes and then was gone leaving the same detached, ironic mask he always wore.  
  
"Don't be a fool," Hikari said forcefully. "You know as well as I do that this move will have been anticipated. There will be more Digimon inside waiting to stop you from accomplishing whatever it is you plan to do. You will need backup."  
  
He stared at her silently, than turned away and stepped into the portal. Cursing under her breath, she followed.  
  
______________________________  
  
The inside of the portal was a giant gray landscape of nothingness. However, at the moment, it wasn't completely empty. As Hikari had guessed, the place was filled with dark Digimon. Upon entering the void, both she and Takeru had been hard pressed. The numbers of their enemies seemed limitless.  
  
Whirling his golden staff swiftly, Takeru forced a small clear circle around himself. "HIKARI," he yelled, "keep them off my back for a minute."  
  
Flapping her wings furiously, she was beside his side in seconds, her own mystical sword in hand. A Skull Satamon tried to rush her but she was faster and dispatched him easily.  
  
Drawing his wings around himself, Takeru began to gather his power. Hikari's eyes widened as she felt the power build and keep on going. If she didn't know better, she could swear he was drawing on his life energy like he had done at Sumeragi's citadel. Snapping out of her thoughts, she devoted her energy to keeping the space around him clear.  
  
Takeru suddenly unfurled his wings and spread his hands. His whole body was crackling with electricity. With a roar, he let the pent up power loose. His body stiffened as bolts of electricity shot out in every direction. Seemingly self aware, the bolts crackled and sparked, finding their way to most of the dark Digimon. Many were destroyed but the stronger ones were merely stunned. However, the ploy had bought them some time.  
  
Takeru pointed towards something behind her. "That's where we need to go."  
  
Hikari turned at his words and saw a narrow beam of light in the distant horizon. It ran horizontally and was seemingly endless. "What is it?" She asked.  
  
"The bridge-way between the two portals." Takeru replied curtly, flapping his wings and setting off towards the light. "Hurry, we're fast running out of time."  
  
The pair quickly made their way to the light, encountering only token resistance on the way. The decimated ranks of the Undersea Master's forces had yet to recover from Takeru's attack.  
  
"Alright Hikari, I'll need your power now." Takeru said facing the light.  
  
She noticed then that he was breathing hard and a light sheen of sweat covered his brow. 'Probably exhausted himself putting on that lightshow,' she thought to herself as she reached forward and put her hand on his shoulder. His own hand suddenly came up covering hers with his own.  
  
Hikari felt the power drain from herself, only it was different this time. Takeru was draining her dry, only leaving the barest amount for her to survive. Thrusting his hand into the beam of light, he released the energy and then turned to face her, cradling her limp body in his arms. The first thing she noticed were his eyes, which were gazing steadily into her own.  
  
"You should have let me die that day instead of interfering." His voice was sad and full of pain. "It was supposed to finally end but you and the others brought me back. I wasn't lying when I said my life has been empty since then. I never found anything to take place of the vengeance that consumed my heart. In the end, all you did was sentence me to a slow, wasting death." He suddenly smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. "At least this way I get to go out in a blaze of glory." There was a gentle pressure in the palm of her hand and she looked down, unable to do anything else. "Take my D3. I've had it modified and it can open random portals now. I've set it so that it deposits you safely away from the portal. What I didn't mention before is that destroying a portal of this side releases a tremendous flux of energies. It will destroy anything within a blocks radius of the ring. That army will be decimated." His eyes suddenly flashed and he was suddenly her old friend that had promised her so much only to break that promise years later. "This isn't your fault. You tried your best to save me but I'm not worth it." He gently caressed the side of her face. "I'm just glad I could fulfill the only promise that still means anything to me."  
  
A portal slowly opened under her feet and he closed her hand around his D3. "Goodbye Hikari," He said softly letting her go.  
  
Her last image before darkness claimed her was of the world turning to fire around him.  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
Next: Epilogue and the return of an old favorite. 


	6. Epilogue

Midnight Blossoms (Epilogue)  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.  
  
____________________________________________________________________  
  
A/N: Hey hey, Cracker sama, thanks for the reviews. I appreciated the kind words and here it is, the epilogue. One day late but I couldn't help that. There was a party the other day and my attendance was mandatory.  
  
The ending to this may feel a bit rushed but I didn't think I needed an extensively long epilogue, even though this is longer then the infamously short, chapter two and is longer then both chapters one and two. Btw, did I ever explain why Chapter two was so short? I feel I should. That chapter was short because in one of my A/N's I said this would be a four to six chapter story. One of the chapters needed to be shortened and the pacing, I think, worked better this way. I also wanted to profile Takeru and Hikari's characters without any separate action scenes detracting from them.  
  
Now, this epilogue ends quickly, without much of a resolution. I will get to that in the first chapter of the sequel, The Final Battle. In fact that chapter is likely three quarters the length of this entire fic and is filled with character development. In many ways, Midnight Blossoms is the prologue while The Final Battle is the main course. That is why I rushed through it so quickly. I will delve into the other characters in the sequel. I will also probably rewrite this fic eventually to clear up grammatical errors and clear away a discrepancy at the beginning of the third chapter. See if you can spot it.  
  
P.S. Let me know if you think I should adjust Hikari's character because if you think she's a bit hard in this story, you'll think she's on steroids in the sequel.  
  
Now without further adieu:  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
He sat under a Sakura tree, Hikari beside him. The details seemed sharp, vivid. She was wearing a white blouse with a knee length gray skirt. Her arm was draped over his shoulders, his face pressed into the crook of her shoulder. There was a gentle rainfall of Sakura petals around them and then a sudden gust of wind, scattering the petals. With the wind came the faint sounds of someone screaming in the distance.  
  
"They're hurting me again," he whispered softly.  
  
"Shhhh, I know," she said, gently caressing the side of his face. "But I won't ever ......" Her body began fading gently, voice carried away by the wind, leaving him alone.  
  
The screaming grew louder then and he shuddered uncontrollably. Then there came a loud voice, "Remember this moment boy. Remember how weak you were and how your family paid the price for it." The voice repeated over and over and there he lay under his Sakura tree, alone.  
  
___________________________  
  
Light flakes of snow gently tickled her nose and gasping, she awakened. The sky was a cloudy white and she could hear the sounds of a lively city. Getting up, she shook off the light layer of snow that covered her body. She had been lying on the rooftop of an apartment complex. Groaning, she stretched a bit trying to work out the kinks in her aching muscles. Judging by how much she hurt, she'd been lying up here for quite a while. Looking down, she noticed an unconscious Gatomon beside her. A gentle mental probe suddenly touched her mind and she closed her eyes.  
  
'Yes Sora, I'm still here.'  
  
'Takeru?'  
  
She was silent for a moment. 'Follow the signal from my D3 and find my body and Gatomon's. I'm going after Takeru.' With that, she shut off the mental contact. For what she was about to attempt, she would need all her powers. Marshalling her strength, she sat down Indian style in the snow and hurled her mind into the void of thoughtscape.  
  
A long time ago, when the Chosen had first learned of their powers, she, Sora and Mimi had devised a method for locating any of their friends across the thoughtscape. With the consent of the rest of the Chosen and Destined, they had set up wards in everybody's mind. The thoughtscape was a hazard to normal methods of navigation but with a beacon like that in a person's mind; it was much easier for a psychic to traverse.  
  
Takeru did not have such a beacon, or rather, he had not had such a beacon until she had hurled a single thought deep into his mind as the portal closed around her. However, it was still a long shot. He was not even in this world anymore. However, the portal he had sent her through was, and was still giving off enough energy for her to slip a thought through and find him.  
  
She did not even think of the possibility that he might not be alive.  
  
___________________________  
  
"These are chains of your own making."  
  
'You should have left this alone .....'  
  
"You're not him. Leave!"  
  
'...... you cold-hearted bitch.'  
  
"Why won't you listen to reason?"  
  
'Who gave you license to interfere in my life.'  
  
"I SAID LEAVE."  
  
'Who gave you the right to play God with me.'  
  
With a sigh, the cloaked figure turned and left.  
  
___________________________  
  
Desperation hurrying her search, Hikari looked for any sign of Takeru. She had not found him anywhere near the site of the portal which was disturbing and spoke of a possibility she did not want to consider. There would be no giving up though. She would not leave here until she found him or at least his body to confirm her worst fears. At least that way she wouldn't have to continue living with the crippling hope that had lead her to this moment. However, there was time to consider. She could not stay here for too long or the portal would close completely, snapping her connection to this plane of existence.  
  
Abruptly, there came a faint signal from far off. It frightened her with its weakness. She took off for it as fast as she could and then became aware of two other presences. It almost seemed like there were three minds here and two of them were human. She had only been expecting one human mind. There was a sudden pressure and she felt herself being pulled inextricably pulled towards one of the minds.  
  
The gray nothingness of the thoughtscape gradually resolved itself into a small sparse room as she made mental contact. She found herself facing a small, open window that looked out onto a blue, cloudless horizon. The gentle sound of waves crashing against rocks drifted up from below. Turning away from the window, she studied her surroundings. There was only one bare cot set in the corner of the room as the only decoration. Upon the cot sat a hooded figure, studying her. She couldn't see his face as the folds of his hood hid it effectively.  
  
"What is this place?" Hikari asked detecting no malice from the figure.  
  
"It's a lighthouse in France. My Grandfather brought me here a long time ago." The man, she could tell from his voice, cocked his head sideways. "You've grown taller, little sister."  
  
Hikari frowned, only one person had ever called her that and the voice matched. "You must only be a figment of Takeru's imagination." She said, eyes narrowing in understanding.  
  
"You're smarter than that," the figure proclaimed, flipping back his hood and revealing Yamato Ishida's youthful features. "I was watching that whole clone/double thing out there and well, at least one good thing came out of it. I got to see what I would look like if my untimely death hadn't interfered. You have no idea how scary it is to think that you'll have to live out the rest of your existence, such as it is, in the body of a sixteen year old."  
  
"Ok, that'll do." Scowling, Hikari gathered the full extent of her powers and tried to make the scene vanish. There was a brief flicker but the scenery didn't change.  
  
"That was unpleasant," Yamato remarked. "Please don't do it again."  
  
"What are you?" Hikari said, a little disturbed.  
  
"You sensed two human minds out there. I'm that other mind. The thoughts and memories of Yamato Ishida."  
  
"That's nonsense. Yamato died years ago."  
  
"You should know better then most that what dies in the Digital World, doesn't remain dead for long." Yamato rose to his feet. "I did die but you guys buried me in the Digital World. The rules work differently there. Instead of undergoing regular decomposition, my body began to break up into data. The Digital World would have absorbed it but the Guardians harvested the data. However, some of it was still lost. In many ways, I am incomplete. Much of what I know, I've picked up from Takeru. My own memories just consist of flashes. There are things ...... people, I remember more then others. You, oddly enough, are one of them. It is probably because of your relation to Takeru.  
  
"That is a rather convenient excuse you have there," Hikari said crossing her arms. "Even if I took what you say seriously, why would the Guardians put you in Takeru's mind?"  
  
"So very much like him," Yamato muttered under his breath. "My purpose here was twofold. I was supposed to safeguard Takeru's mind from mental attacks. When Takeru came to the Guardians after that day at Sumeragi's citadel, Gennai saw a rare opportunity. He had proven himself a very capable young man and had put an end to the biggest network of renegades out there. However, there were still a sizable number of them that still had influence inside Sanctuary. That's the main base of the Guardians, by the way." Yamato walked over to the open window, staring out at the cloudless horizon. "Takeru was to hunt down these renegades. However, if he was captured, I was to act as his protection against mental probes or if worst came to worst, erase his entire mind to protect the secrets of the Guardians."  
  
"And the other reason for your being here?" Hikari still wasn't sure how much of this she wanted to believe but had decided to play out the scenario till its end. This construct could be helpful in tracking down Takeru's real presence.  
  
"I was supposed to fill in any missing gaps in my own memory by looking through Takeru's. He is my brother, after all. Plus, I could observe all of you when I got the chance." Yamato turned back to her. "I have a feeling that there is some higher purpose waiting for me. It may be that I won't have to stay here very much longer and may one day find a body constructed for myself. The Undersea Master is stirring again and you will likely need the power of my crest to deal with him."  
  
"My time here is growing short," Hikari replied. "Help me find Takeru."  
  
Yamato cocked his head sideways. "You still don't believe it is me, do you?" He sighed. "I suppose I should have expected that. You are so much like my brother at times. Will it convince you if I told you something that only you and I would know?"  
  
"And how would I know that Yamato hadn't told that to Takeru in the first place. No, there's not much you can do to convince me."  
  
"Yet you did detect a third mind when you were coming here."  
  
"There is that in your favor, if nothing else. Tell me then, how would I know that you aren't someone else pretending to be Yamato. This dimension was filled with a slew of dark Digimon recently. I'm surprised that Takeru even managed to survive."  
  
"Yes well, that was through no doing of his own." Yamato turned back to the window. "Angemon, get up here."  
  
There was a flap of wings and then the Angel Digimon was climbing in through the window, which had suddenly grown to accustom his size. "She won't believe you?" Angemon asked softly.  
  
"Which was as we expected. You try to convince her now."  
  
Angemon turned towards Hikari. "He's telling the truth."  
  
Yamato groaned. "I think she's going to need a little more assurance then that."  
  
Hikari quirked an eyebrow and then stepped forward and touched the Digimon. "Stay still," she said quietly, "this won't take long." Using her powers, she scanned him. He definitely wasn't a construct but rather a sentient mind. She had scanned him once before and was able to confirm his identity now. But that meant ...... She turned back towards Yamato. There were times for taking leaps of faith and now seemed like one such time. Besides, what was one more bit of strangeness next to everything else in her life. "All right, I'll take you at your word. Why are you talking to me now though? Judging by your mental control, you could have contacted either Sora, Mimi or myself anytime."  
  
"Truthfully, I should not be talking to you right now. I was instructed by Gennai to keep a low profile."  
  
"Then why ......"  
  
Yamato held up a hand silencing her. "I'm talking to you now because I'm concerned about Takeru and I made a promise of my own to protect you long ago." His lips suddenly twitched in a smirk. "You should know how we Ishida's are about our promises."  
  
"And you're going to help me by wasting my time talking. Let's hurry this along. I don't have unlimited time here."  
  
Yamato scowled at her. "Bear with me a bit. I have a lot to tell you and it may be that you are the only one that can get through to him. In any case, before the inferno consumed Takeru, I, with Angemon's help, took control of his powers. My brother has always been a contrary person. He may want it all to end but there's a spark deep down inside him that refuses to let go. I used that spark much in the same way that Jyou and Ken used it to fan the flame of life back in his body. However, his mind is gradually buckling under the strain of these past six years. I've tried to help him but he won't listen to either Angemon or myself. You're my last hope Hikari."  
  
"Take me to him then," Hikari said impatiently.  
  
"Patience, little sister. This isn't going to be so simple. Tell me, do you still love him despite everything he's done to you. He pretty much betrayed your friendship."  
  
Hikari closed her eyes thinking back to that day. "Yes, I still love him." She said softly. "He betrayed me but I still love him."  
  
Yamato smiled sadly. "This will be your only chance to get him back then. Listen and learn."  
  
____________________________  
  
All around her was white, a nothingness, yet there was an oasis in the form of a Sakura tree in this nothingness. He was slumped under it, his knees drawn up to his chest and his head cradled in the crook of his arms. There were whispers in the air and shouts, a thousand memories seemingly coming undone. A maelstrom of sound that seemed to be causing him to whither further and further into himself. As she approached him, his voice stopped her in her tracks.  
  
"You left a ward in my mind. Very clever Hikari." He had not looked up at her, his head still lowered, face concealed by his arms.  
  
Sighing, Hikari crossed over to where he was reclining and sat down beside him. Gathering her thoughts, she said, "We need to talk and we need someplace quiet. You can shut all this off if you want. Why are you continuing to torture yourself?"  
  
There was no response.  
  
"All right then, I guess I'll have to do it." Hikari waved her hand. There was an odd hum but the voices stayed, becoming louder. She stared in surprise at Takeru; he was actually fighting her. They struggled for a bit before she brought forth the full extent of her powers. His resistance gradually weakened until finally an audible hush fell over the clearing, a marked difference from the whirlwind of noise moments before.  
  
Leaning back against the tree, Hikari gazed at the boy sitting beside her. "Was that really necessary?" She asked, than added. "By the way, don't try to run. I've hooked your presence here."  
  
"Why won't you just leave me alone." It was a whisper, barely audible to her ears.  
  
"Where would be the fun in that?" She hoped that a bit of levity would get him to open up a bit more. It didn't seem to work though as the only thing that greeted her was silence. "Ok, don't say anything. I have a number of things I'd like to get off my chest. For the record though, you're being entirely too pig headed about this."  
  
Hikari composed her thoughts, figuring out how best to approach the current situation. "Do you remember our first kiss?" From the barest twitch of his shoulders, she knew that she had surprised him. Smiling, she continued, "It has been five years since then. I still remember that day like it was yesterday. Daemon had escaped the Dark Ocean and kidnapped Ken. We couldn't find either one of them anywhere and then Gennai contacted us and informed us of a prophecy dealing with the situation. As such things often end up, I had to trek to some unknown corner of the Digital World to find the scroll ......"  
  
____________________________ FLASHBACK  
  
Around her arose dark skyscrapers, swathed in shadows. The sun had set nearly an hour ago and there was no light to be had anywhere. She hadn't been allowed to bring Gatomon because some ancient idiot had decree that the scroll had to be found only by worthy humans. So, here she was, alone at night in a deserted city with god knows what out there. And to make matters worse, for the past hour she had felt someone's eyes on her.  
  
Hikari sighed, pausing to rest a moment. At least all the trials were behind her. Getting to the city had been a nightmare in itself. One challenge after another had been presented to her and she had barely passed some of them. Whoever was following her had to be a pretty formidable person.  
  
Suddenly an arm snaked around her neck and clasped over her mouth. Immediately, she drove an elbow back into her opponent's midsection. There was a short grunt of surprise and her assailant stumbled back. However, he kept his grip on her. Hikari bit the hand clasped over her mouth and the guy released her. Whirling around, she pressed the attack. Falling back, the boy deftly avoided her punches and kicks. She feinted with a punch to the face masking a kick to the stomach. To her surprise, an elbow blocked the kick.  
  
Frowning, Hikari backed off, studying her assailant. In the gloom, all she could make out was a tall boy wearing black pants and a black shirt whose sleeves had been ripped off. A dark hood covered his face. The most disturbing though was that he wasn't pursuing the attack but was rather, standing still studying her.  
  
"Who are you?" She called out.  
  
In response, the boy slowly cocked his head to the side and then suddenly rushed forward. This time it was Hikari who was driven backwards. Nimbly dodging his blows, she left a deliberate opening in her defense. The boy fell for it. She grabbed the punch aimed her way and twisted his arm up behind his back. He swung backwards with the other arm and she blocked and grabbed it as well. Twisting both arms brutally, she was in the midst of forcing him to his knees when he stamped down hard on her foot. The pain made her release his arms. He stumbled forward a step and then spun on his heel and tackled her. They rolled around on the floor trying to put each other in submission moves until he finally rolled her over onto her back and pinned her arms above her head. Slowly, he forced bother of her wrists together and pinned both of them with one hand. She was surprised he had the strength considering how she had twisted his arms. With his free hand, the boy reached down and playfully tweaked her nose.  
  
"Hah, I told you I'd beat you someday."  
  
"Ta ...... Takeru." She stammered, at a loss for words.  
  
He rolled off her and rose to his feet. She took his offered arm and he pulled her easily to her feet. Then, reaching upwards, he pulled back his hood, revealing a head full of black hair. Seeing the look on her face, he laughed and took off the wig, revealing the familiar locks of blonde hair.  
  
"I was traveling incognito," he explained.  
  
Seeing him standing in front of her, grinning his familiar grin, brought back all of the memories of the past year. "You ...... you jerk." *SLAP* "You could have at least said goodbye." *SLAP*  
  
"Ouch!" He exclaimed cupping both cheeks. "Geez Kari, wasn't nearly twisting off my arms enough." At the look on her face, he held up both hands and took a small step backwards. "Alright alright, you don't have to get crazy."  
  
Her anger began to quickly vanish upon seeing his antics. She had never been able to stay mad at him for long.  
  
"What are you doing here?" She said exasperated.  
  
His expression quickly sobered. "I had heard that there was a scroll somewhere in this city that could tell me Sumeragi's whereabouts."  
  
"I'm after the same thing," Hikari said, "except that Gennai told me the scroll would tell us of where Daemon's taken Ken."  
  
The two stood silently, absorbing the weight of the words just uttered. "You haven't discovered how Daemon got free of the Dark Ocean, have you?"  
  
Hikari mutely shook her head.  
  
"Then it looks like we're on the same path. I'll come with you to recover the scroll." Takeru eyed their surroundings critically. "We should set up camp."  
  
Hikari nodded and working side by side, they quickly set up a mini fire. She observed him out of the corner of her eye noticing the corded muscles in his arms that hadn't been there before. There was also a cold hard look in his eyes that occasionally vanished only to reappear again. This Takeru looked a great deal harder then the one that had left her a year ago.  
  
As they sat side by side, eating in companionable silence, a thought suddenly occurred to her. "Hey," she said nudging Takeru with her elbow, "why did you attack me if you knew who I was."  
  
He looked down at her. "I wanted to see how far I had come. You've been taking self defense since you were ten and could usually kick my ass so I thought it would be fun to try out some moves on you."  
  
"I could have dislocated both your shoulders."  
  
The same infuriating grin appeared on his face. "You probably could have," he admitted, "but I would have been screaming my lungs off before then. Besides, the foot stomp, although it was an improvisation, did work."  
  
Hikari scowled at him, then turned back to her food. More silence but this time it was he who broke it. "Hi ...... Hikari," he said hesitantly. "I want to apologize for leaving. I handled that situation wrong. I'm sorry."  
  
"Do you know how much you hurt me."  
  
He flinched at that. "I ...... I know. It wasn't easy for me either. I didn't think I could face you in the morning and still be able to leave."  
  
"Would it have been so bad if you had stayed?"  
  
Takeru sighed, throwing his head backwards. "I don't know but I have to do this," he said sadly.  
  
"I ...... I understand. In your place, I would have probably done the same." She reached up and tenderly brushed a lock of hair away from his forehead. "But, what about us?"  
  
"I ...... don't know. I told you that I cared about you. That hasn't changed and it never will. But, I have to do this Kari. He'll come after you if he finds out and you're all I have left."  
  
"I can take care of myself."  
  
He smiled ruefully. "Trust me, I know that all too well but this whole situation is a lot more complex than you know. The things I've learned over the past year, you wouldn't believe half of them. This guy's network is widespread and it crosses both our world and the Digital World. You should warn Daisuke and Tai to keep their eyes open."  
  
"Well, Daisuke will find out about it but you should really be addressing me." Takeru raised an eyebrow and she explained. "The poor guy blames himself for your loss and Daemon taking Ken. He's given leadership over to me."  
  
Takeru grinned down at her. "Meaning, you don't have to pull strings from the background anymore."  
  
She scowled at him. "That's not funny." He seemed to think it was though and burst out into open laughter. She shoved him playfully and he shoved her back and moments later they were rolling on the floor, giggling and laughing, trying to tickle each other into submission.  
  
She had missed this, the open physicality between them. It was a closeness strengthened by eight years of friendship. Takeru never treated her like she was fragile and weak. Something, she appreciated more then he probably knew. Her family still remembered her frequent fevers as a child and more often then not, treated her with kid's gloves. It was irksome and she had begun to resent it but with Takeru, she could just let go and drop the mask her parents had come to expect her to wear.  
  
She was jolted out of her thoughts as Takeru howled his submission, laughing uncontrollably. He had always been extremely ticklish. As his laughter subsided, they both realized the position they were in. She was sitting atop him, both arms poised over his ribs. His own arms were clasped around her waist.  
  
"Hikari, I ......" He got no further as she leaned down quickly and kissed him. It was impetuous, it was stupid but she didn't care. She didn't want the moment to end. She didn't want him to get up and leave her again. He had stood by her for eight years through good times and bad and the past year without him had been empty.  
  
She could tell he had been surprised by the kiss. His eyes had widened and his arms had shot up to her shoulders as if to pull away. However, he had not attempted to do so and had closed his eyes, his arms falling to his sides.  
  
The kiss between them intensified as he poured his own passion into it until abruptly, it became something more. She was vaguely aware of the fact that she had unbuttoned his shirt and was running her hands over his chest. His own hands were underneath her sweater and shirt, trailing fiery tracks upon her torso. She gasped as one of his hands brushed across the underside of her breasts.  
  
A small voice cautioned her to turn back but she paid it no mind. Another thought had gripped her. Maybe she could make him stay after all. It was a purely selfish thought but again, she didn't care. He was hers and she wasn't ready to give him up.  
  
She moved atop him, to get a better position and he moaned softly. It seemed to be some sort of indicator as the next thing she knew, his hands were on her shoulders pushing her away. He looked up at her, his face flushed and a lingering trace of desire still in his eyes.  
  
"I can't do this." He said raggedly. "Not when I know I'll have to leave you tomorrow."  
  
"When then?" She asked quietly.  
  
"When this is all over and Sumeragi's dead."  
  
__________________________ END FLASHBACK  
  
Hikari smiled wistfully. "I waited two more years. All I had was my duty as leader, in that time. Then, you finally got your revenge on Sumeragi but instead of coming back, you tried leaving again. Of course, I had been expecting that and confronted you. You said some pretty harsh things to me but you never explained why you wouldn't come back."  
  
Beside her, Takeru stirred. "You wouldn't understand. Just ...... just go away Hikari."  
  
"Well, that's progress at least," she muttered, " and no, I won't go away. We're going to work this out once and for all. Now try explaining to me what I wouldn't understand."  
  
Takeru raised his head slowly. She was shocked at how haggard he looked. His eyes were bloodshot but had a dangerous glint in them. She remembered the look. He had always had a hint of something wild just underneath the surface but right now it was shining uncontrollably in her eyes.  
  
"Leave. It. Alone. Hikari." He grated.  
  
Hikari met that baleful gaze levelly. He wouldn't make her back down. She would be as hard as she needed to be. He had forgotten that he was dealing with a Yagami. Making her voice firm, hard, she said, "No."  
  
Takeru's eyes narrowed and Hikari suddenly became aware of a pressure building along the wards she had placed on his mind. They began crumbling one by one until only the last was left which linked their minds together. She couldn't help but feel impressed. He had trained himself well in dealing with telepaths.  
  
All at once, he was on his feet, glaring down at her. "So, you want to understand." He waved his hand and all about them grew dark. "Look at this and tell me if you can understand."  
  
Hikari looked up as a blonde woman suddenly materialized in front of her. She was completely naked and floating horizontally in the air. A small lamp suddenly appeared above her and Hikari realized that the woman was bound to a table, unable to wiggle a toe. A voice, Takeru's, suddenly rang out in the stillness.  
  
"Your name is Sofia Alexander?" The scene moved forward and Hikari realized that she was viewing things from Takeru's perspective. He was looking down at her now. "It doesn't matter if you answer that or not. It isn't an important question. However, I do have some important questions that I want answers to." She spat at him but missed. "You will answer my questions, Ms. Alexander." A pair of knives suddenly came into view and Takeru's voice boomed out, "Let's start."  
  
She was a brave woman who managed to hold out for a full five minutes. However, when he started on her breasts, she broke completely, sobbing out detail after detail. Afterwards, he gently wiped the sweat from her forehead and plunged one of the knives into her heart.  
  
The scene faded only to be replaced by another. This time it was a man and Takeru began randomly cutting off body parts until he started talking. The scenes followed one after the other, each more horrific then the last. He actually began skinning a person in one of them until he broke. As it went on and on, she sat and watched, unable to turn away. Yamato had prepared her for this but seeing it in all its horrid glory was hard. Beside her Takeru stood still, his face locked in a mask of impassiveness.  
  
Abruptly, the scenes stopped and there was a long silence. Then, "Do you see now, do you see the things I did. And I regret none of it."  
  
"We've all made hard choices." She wished her voice sounded a bit firmer. The truth was that despite any warnings, the scenes had left her shaken.  
  
"Hard choices," he scoffed. "I tortured, I killed and I even enjoyed it. I was a monster and in many ways I still am."  
  
Hikari rose to her feet, eyes flashing. "That's not true. You feel remorse for your actions. Otherwise, you would not be beating yourself up over this."  
  
He laughed, a short bitter sound devoid of mirth. "You're a damned fool Hikari. I feel no remorse for what I did. I only feel sorry that I couldn't get you to drop this silly school girl crush."  
  
Takeru's head jerked sideways as Hikari slapped him. "Don't you dare trivialize my feelings." Her temper was dangerously close to snapping. He would not listen to reason and now it seemed like time for more direct methods.  
  
Opening the floodgates of her own psychic power, she pushed him backwards until he was pinned against the tree. He did not put up any type of resistance; probably because he had exhausted himself breaking down her wards.  
  
Walking up to him, she forcefully jabbed him in the chest with her finger. "You are mine Takeru Ishida. You belong to me. I will decide when I'm ready to give you up."  
  
He glared down at her but his eyes had lost the dangerous glint in them. "You're chasing a fool's ......"  
  
Hikari backhanded him hard. "Shut up," she said quietly, gazing into his eyes, daring him to defy her. He wisely kept quiet. "I've been patient with you for three years but now you're beginning to stretch it. So, be quiet and listen:" She paused for a second. "I forgive you. I don't care about what you did and it means nothing to me."  
  
He looked incredulously at her. "You have no idea what you're saying."  
  
"Is it so hard for you to believe that I love you." He started to speak but Hikari grabbed his chin, silencing him. "You made a vow to me when we were fourteen that you would come back to me after you'd had your revenge. You didn't keep that vow and your reasons for not doing so are inconsequential to me."  
  
Takeru jerked his head sideways, freeing his chin. "Why should I honor the vow of a boy that died three years ago," he said coldly.  
  
"If I believed that was true, I wouldn't be here. No, let me tell you what happened to that boy. He pursued a vendetta that required him doing some pretty dark things. He sacrificed every principle he had to do what needed to be done and when it was all over, the boy realized his mistake. That same boy has been regretting his actions ever since." Hikari looked up at him. "You didn't think I could still love you after all you had done. You were wrong. Now drop this insufferable cloak of self pity you've wrapped around yourself." When he didn't respond, she reached up and laid a hand on his brow. "If you still don't believe me then feel this."  
  
Takeru felt her mind open up to him. A flood of emotions, he had no protection against, hit him. They were what broke him in the end.  
  
He had given up on love the day he had tortured and killed his first person. It had been an act of desperation. All his leads had run out and he had nowhere to go. The first interrogation had been crude and he had very nearly killed the person before getting any information. The guy had died in the end anyways, but not before giving him the location of someone who knew more. And he'd set off on that path, becoming further and further disillusioned until at last he'd given up altogether, wanting it all to end. He had been close, so close, but they had dragged him back. Back to life, back to pain, back to her. But how could she love him when he despised himself. She would hate him after all he'd done and so he'd tried to leave only to be thwarted once again. He had let his rage loose that day, hurting her so badly that she was driven right into Daisuke's arms. He had thought to move on and had managed to bury all memories of her until a year ago when fate had reunited them. He still cursed Gennai for setting him up like that. The meeting had lead to a renewal of their friendship. Surely that could not be so bad. He could at least retain her friendship and she would never have to learn what he'd become. Only, he could still see the love in her eyes. It frightened him with its intensity. Learning that she had left Daisuke had been a blow he wasn't prepared against and it had left him off balance. And then when she had held him, he had become even more confused. He should have made her let go, to leave him with his sins but it had felt so right and for the first time in six years he had felt safe. He had known then that he couldn't fight her that eventually, she would break through and see what he had become. He could almost imagine the love turning to hate then but did he want that? Their destinies were so entwined that they would intersect no matter how far away, he ran. He knew that now because he had tried running. And every single time they met, there would be that look in her eyes. The cold indifference when she gazed at him. He could imagine it because he had seen it in the eyes of Iori. That was another regret but he could live with it. He wasn't sure he could live seeing that look from her. And so, he'd tried to end it all only he'd been thwarted, yet again. And now she was showing him her mind, her emotions and the depth of her feelings for him. He couldn't deny this and destroying it required a lot more ruthlessness then he was capable of and so, he broke.  
  
As the rush of emotions faded, Takeru found himself on all fours, staring at the ground. She had taken down the wards holding him to the tree. There was a drop of water, next to his hand and he found that he was crying. It had been a long time since that had happened.  
  
Hikari looked down at him barely holding herself back from taking him into her arms. She knew he had to deal with this himself, that the next step needed to be his and so waited, holding her breath as he raised both hands to his face and sobbed quietly into them.  
  
The crying didn't last long. Removing his hands from his face he looked up at her, his eyes red. "Damn you Hikari," he said thickly but his tone lacked any malice.  
  
Hikari finally knelt down and embraced him. Tentatively, he put his arms around her as well. They sat silently, holding each other until finally, "Can you find your way back?" Hikari asked softly.  
  
Takeru was quiet for a long time. "It will be hard without the D3," he finally replied. "There are a couple of ways but none of them are as certain as the D3." His voice took on an optimistic tone. "But I will try. I have to now."  
  
"Promise me," Hikari said pulling away and looking into his eyes. "Promise me that you'll do everything you can to come back."  
  
"Do you really need another hold on me?" Seeing the look in her eyes, he sighed. "Yes, I suppose you do. Ok, to make up for the promise I broke, I'll promise now that I will do everything in my power to come back to you."  
  
Hikari stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly lunged forward, tackling him to the ground. She kissed him ferociously. Dimly, he was aware that she had dropped the barriers around his mind and that his body was reacting to the kiss. He tried raising his hands but found that they were pinned to the ground. She was in complete control of the moment.  
  
After an inordinate period of time, she pulled back. "I will put as many holds on you as I need to, Takeru. I am not going to let you walk away from us, from me again."  
  
"You don't trust me despite the promise."  
  
Hikari shook her head. "I trust you but I also know you. The longer you're away from me, the more you'll begin to doubt all this. You'll convince yourself that my feelings for you were just an illusion and all of your old barriers will go back up stronger then before. And when you come back, I will have to work twice as hard to get you back."  
  
Takeru reached up, he could move his arms now it seemed, and gently caressed her face. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry about what I said three years ago."  
  
Hikari slowly reached up, grabbing his hand and turned her head, kissing his palm. It was a curiously gentle gesture from a woman that was one of the most forceful personalities he'd ever met. The gesture was another chain over his heart but he had no idea how or why that should be.  
  
"My time here is growing short. Do you need anything before I go."  
  
Takeru shook his head. "No, just stay here with me a while."  
  
She lay down beside him, resting her head on his shoulder. He put his arms around her and they lay quietly until her time to go came.  
  
"Remember your promise, Keru." Hikari said softly as her body began to fade away.  
  
"Thank you," Takeru replied. "For everything. Your strength has always been my guiding light."  
  
Hikari chuckled. "You always did have the soul of a poet."  
  
"It's what you love about me, isn't it."  
  
"It is one thing, there are others."  
  
"I love you."  
  
"I love you too. Remember." The last word softly echoed in the air as the mental link between them dissolved.  
  
Takeru lay still for a while, thinking over everything that had happened. Then, with a groan, he rose to his feet. There were a lot of things to do and he needed to get to them. He had purpose now and a feeling that had been absent in his life for too long, hope. 


End file.
